The Syrian military said Israel launched raids on an industrial zone in the northern city of Aleppo. Opposition sources said the strikes hit Iranian ammunitions stores and a military airport used by Tehran’s forces. Israel struck Iranian ammunition depots some 500km from Tel Aviv.
There was no immediate comment from Israel.
ALEPPO IS AN IRANIAN HUB OF TERROR
The blasts caused an electrical blackout in Aleppo, the country’s second largest city. Aleppo is a major industrial hub that bore the brunt of years of fighting and heavy aerial bombardment against forces opposed to Assad. Russia and the Assad regime carried out these aerial attacks using mostly barrel bombs.
Military experts say Aleppo is one of the main areas where Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards have a strong military presence. This is why Israel struck Iranian ammunition depots around Aleppo.
Two opposition sources familiar with Tehran’s military presence in the area said large ammunitions depot and a logistics hub that belonged to Iranian-backed militias inside the industrial zone received direct hits.
Other strikes hit the vicinity of Nairab military airport on the outskirts of Aleppo. It is the second such strike, in less than a year, on installations used by Iran.
Iranian-backed Shi’ite militias have expanded their control over Sunni areas around Damascus and southern and eastern Syria. These are regions bore the brunt of the heaviest bombardment, and led to mass population displacement to neighboring countries.
Iran’s growing influence in Syria has raised the prospect of a military confrontation with its arch-enemy Israel, which considers Iran its biggest threat. Israel has repeatedly attacked Iranian targets in Syria to include those of Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Earlier this year, Israeli military said they had attacked Iranian targets that included munitions depots at Damascus International Airport.
IRAN COLONIZING SYRIA BECAUSE ASSAD IS WEAK
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel had carried out “hundreds” of attacks over the past few years of Syria’s war to curtail Iran and its ally Hezbollah.
Israel has said it was crucial to block growing Iranian military influence in Syria, and Netanyahu vowed it would push its troops out of the country.
Iran has warned Israel it would respond if it continued attacking targets in Syria. Iran has repeatedly said its military presence in Syria is at the invitation of the Assad government and it has no immediate plans to withdraw. The majority of Syrians, however, see Iran as a colonizing force ethnically cleansing Syria’s population.
Reuters contributed to this article.
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