Iran warns retaliation for Israeli airstrikes in Syria

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran’s foreign minister on Wednesday warned Israel that it would face retaliation for its airstrikes on Syria while referring to a strike on Aleppo’s airport two days prior. 

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian “strongly condemned” the Israeli airstrikes that struck Aleppo International Airport on Monday and rendered the airport out of service after its runway was damaged during a press conference with his Syrian counterpart in Damascus. 

“None of the criminal acts by the Zionist regime will go unanswered,” Amir-Abdollahian said, stressing the need to retaliate to Israel’s airstrikes. 

Monday’s strikes on Aleppo airport recorded no casualties. 

Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes on regime-controlled areas of Syria throughout its 11-year civil war, often claiming to target Iran-affiliated militias, such as Lebanon's Hezbollah group which supports the Syrian army.

Iran and Israel have been engaged in a shadow war consisting of long-running covert attacks on Iranian military and nuclear facilities, as well as sabotage and cyber-attacks. Iranian fighters are also frequently targeted in suspected Israeli strikes in Syria.

Airports in Aleppo and the capital Damascus have repeatedly been affected by strikes. In March, Aleppo’s airport was put out of service for several days after it was targeted by Israeli airstrikes on two separate occasions.  

Israel rarely comments on airstrikes attributed to it in Syria but it has repeatedly warned that it would not tolerate an increase in Iranian presence.