Syrian soldier killed in alleged Israeli airstrike near Aleppo ahead of Raisi visit

A Syrian soldier was killed and seven other individuals were injured in alleged Israeli airstrikes targeting the Aleppo International Airport and other sites nearby on Monday night, according to Syrian state news agency SANA. The strike comes just a day before a planned visit to Syria by the president of Iran.

The Aleppo International Airport was temporarily closed due to the damage caused by the airstrikes. Footage reportedly from the area showed that fire broke out at the scene.

SANA reported that the strikes were carried out by Israeli aircraft flying southeast of Aleppo.

According to the Lebanese Al-Mayadeen TV, the airstrikes also targeted sites near As-Safirah. Alleged Israeli airstrikes targeted weapons factories in the As-Safirah area in July 2021 and in September and May 2020, including missile factories.

Syrian media identified the Syrian soldier killed in the strikes as Sharaf Muhammad Fayez Melhem, a member of the Syrian Army's air defense forces.

The airstrikes come just a day before Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is set to visit Damascus for a two-day visit.

The strikes also come just days after alleged Israeli airstrikes targeted the Homs area, injuring three individuals, according to Syrian reports. The Sputnik news agency reported that large fires broke out near Homs amid those strikes.

The ALMA Research Center noted that the strikes near Homs targeted an area used for smuggling by Iran from Syria to Lebanon. The research center assessed that an air defense base located in the area was damaged in the strikes.