SOHR: Syria says runways unusable after Israel hits airport

Syria has confirmed major damage including to runways at Damascus International Airport, which was closed for a second day yesterday for repairs after Israeli air strikes.

The transport ministry said in a statement that runways were out of service.

Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes against its neighbour, targeting government troops as well as allied Iran-backed forces and fighters from Lebanon’s Shiite militant group Hezbollah.

But rarely have such attacks caused major flight disruptions.

“Civil aviation and national companies are working… to repair the sizeable damage at the airport,” the ministry said, adding a terminal building was also hit.

The official SANA news agency said the Israeli bombardment wounded a civilian. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said the missile strike before dawn on Friday hit one of the runways as well as three arms depots near the airport belonging to Hezbollah, and other Iran-backed groups.