ANKARA

The Syrian regime on Sunday claimed that the Damascus airport went out of service after it was hit by Israeli airstrikes.

Syria’s official news agency SANA, citing a military source, reported that Israeli airstrikes targeted the Damascus airport at around 5 p.m. local time (1400GMT).

"Over the Golan Heights, some military points and the airport were targeted in Damascus. The air defense systems responded and shot down most of the rockets,” SANA said.

The statement did not provide any details about casualties, but material damage was reportedly caused.

There has been no statement from the Israeli authorities regarding the attack so far.

Israel has often been targeting airports in Damascus and Aleppo since Palestinian group Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7.

It is known that there are elements of Lebanese Hezbollah as well as the Syrian army and Iranian-backed terrorist groups in Damascus and its rural areas.

Israel has been carrying out occasional attacks on Iranian-backed groups and military posts belonging to the army in Syria since the civil war began in 2011.

*Writing by Merve Berker