Aerial photos show damage to Syrian airport after attack

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A suspected Israeli airstrike on Aleppo International Airport in Syria has reopened several craters on its trail, satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press showed Thursday. A United Nations official slammed the incident as an impediment to aid to the nation devastated by a powerful earthquake and a long war.

The attack on Aleppo airport follows another Israeli attack on the airfield as part of a campaign to disrupt the flow of Iranian weapons into the country. The attacks continued despite Israel’s political turmoil and Iran’s nuclear program close to weapons-grade uranium enrichment, while negotiations to revive it stalled.

Satellite photos, taken early Tuesday afternoon by Planet Labs PBC, show vehicles around the damaged area of ​​the airport’s only asphalt runway. One of the points, just south of the passenger terminal, appeared to be a large new crater.

The attack also reportedly hit three isolated areas that had already been hit in September by suspected Israeli attacks. The airstrip was also attacked in late August at another location, although that area now appears to be intact.

Aleppo airport, like many others in Middle Eastern countries, is for civilian and military use. Iran has been instrumental in arming and supporting President Bashar Assad in his country’s long civil war.

Tuesday’s attack, which closed the airfield, was described by the Syrian Foreign Minister as a “double crime” since its target was a civilian airport and one of the main routes for delivering aid to areas hit by a deadly earthquake last year. month.

Since the earthquake that shook Turkey and Syria on February 6 and killed more than 50,000 people, including 6,000 in Syria, Aleppo has received dozens of flights with the help of different countries. According to the authorities, these flights were diverted to Damascus and Latakia.

A UN official overseeing aid efforts in Syria on Wednesday called on countries to take “all possible precautions to avoid the civilian population and civilian elements in the conduct of hostilities”.

“The impact of this closure prevents humanitarian access and could have dramatic humanitarian consequences for millions of people affected by the earthquake,” said El-Mostafa Benlamlih. “Furthermore, it could have adverse effects on the general vulnerable population that needs humanitarian assistance.”

The Israeli prime minister’s office declined to comment Thursday when contacted by the AP.