Israel attacks the largest air bases in Syria, destroying dozens of helicopters, fighter jets – World

DOHA, December 9. /TASS/. Israel has struck Syria’s largest airbase, Al Arabiya TV said, citing two sources in Syria’s defense sector.

“Israel launched strikes on the largest airbases in Syria,” the sources said, adding that “airfield infrastructure and dozens of helicopters and fighter jets were destroyed.”

According to Al Arabiya, the strikes were also carried out on the headquarters of the special forces in the city of Qamishli in al-Hassakah governorate in northeastern Syria.

Syrian opposition armed units launched a large-scale offensive against government troops in Aleppo and Idlib governorates on November 27. On December 7, they captured several major cities, including Aleppo, Hama, Deir ez-Zor, Daraa and Homs. On December 8, they entered Damascus as government troops were retreating from the city. The head of the Syrian government, Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali, expressed his readiness for a peaceful transfer of power in the country. According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, Bashar Assad resigned as president of Syria and fled the country, giving instructions for a peaceful transfer of power.

Early on December 8, Israel officially announced the deployment of its forces to the buffer zone on the border with Syria. According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this was a temporary measure taken in light of recent developments in neighboring Syria.

Later in the day, Israel took control of the part of Mount Hermon that lies inside Syria, part of the Golan Heights, without any resistance. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the same day that, following the change of power in Syria, Israel considers the 1974 Disengagement Agreement with Syria invalid. Later, the Kan radio station reported that the Israeli air force struck dozens of targets in Syria, including ballistic missile production shops and air defense systems. A research center in Damascus where Iranian specialists worked on missile development was also a target, Reuters said.