Israel launched a missile strike on Damascus International Airport on Monday, killing four people, including two Syrian soldiers, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
This marks the second time in under seven months that the airport, which is used by Iranian-backed armed groups and Hezbollah fighters, has been targeted by Israel.
The attack took place at around 2:00 am and caused the airport to shut down, according to Syria’s state news agency SANA.
While Syria’s Ministry of Transport began repairs immediately, some flights resumed on Monday and work continued in other parts of the airport.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the runway used for civilian flights was fixed, but the runway used for cargo transport, which is also used by Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups, remains out of service.
The Israeli strike targeted “positions for Hezbollah and pro-Iranian groups inside the airport and its surroundings, including a weapons warehouse,” according to the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
This comes just days after the Israel Defense Forces said they would not accept “Hezbollah 2.0” in Syria.
Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes against Syria since the country’s civil war began in 2011, targeting government troops and allied Iran-backed forces and Hezbollah fighters. Israel has stated that it will not allow Iran to gain a foothold in Syria.
