Syria’s Transportation Ministry says runways at Damascus International Airport remain out of service after missile strike

Damascus, June 11 (RHC)-- Syria state media has confirmed that Damascus International Airport has suffered major damage -- including to runways -- following an Israeli missile attack.

The Syrian Transportation Ministry said in a statement on Saturday that runways remained out of service at the capital’s airport following the attack on Friday, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported.

“Landing and departing flights were suspended today till further notification as a result of the Israeli aggression, since it caused heavy damages to the airstrips in several localities and to the navigation lights in addition to the damages [that] occurred in the airport lobby,” SANA quoted from a ministry statement.

The ministry said that flights are expected to resume “in corporation with air carriers” as soon as repair work is concluded, SANA reported.

The airport was targeted by a volley of missiles fired from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights at approximately 4:20am local time (01:20 GMT) on Friday, state media reported.

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

While Israel rarely comments on individual attacks, it has acknowledged carrying out hundreds of attacks in Syria.