Israel’s airstrikes on Syrian airports are “a flagrant violation of Syria’s sovereignty and of the basic principles of international law,” Russia said.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFUpdated: OCTOBER 13, 2023 20:27Smoke rises from shelling on the road to Aleppo international airport.(photo credit: REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah)
Israeli Air Force strikes on Syrian airports are “a flagrant violation of Syria’s sovereignty and of the basic principles of international law” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a Friday statement.
The press statement details that on Thursday Israel conducted strikes in Syria that caused damage to the runways at Damascus and Aleppo international airports. The strikes caused the airports to suspend their operations.
“Important civilian infrastructure facilities like airports have again been chosen as targets for an attack on Syria. This posed a real threat to innocent people and international air traffic security,” the statement alleged.
“Strikes could lead to escalation”
The ministry went on to state that the airstrikes, coming amid Israel’s war on the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, “could provoke armed escalation across the entire region” and said that such actions taken by Israel “must not be allowed to continue.”
Ofek 1 images of Damascus International Airport (credit: MINISTRY OF DEFENSE SPOKESPERSON’S OFFICE)
On Friday, Reuters reported that Syrian state news agency, SANA, citing the Syrian transport ministry, said that the Aleppo airport would be back in service at 8:00 a.m. local time (05:00 GMT).
Later on Friday, the IDF said it was conducting widespread airstrikes across the Gaza Strip targeting Hamas terrorists.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFUpdated: OCTOBER 13, 2023 21:10Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, on October 13, 2023(photo credit: ATIA MOHAMMED/FLASH90)
The IDF carried out localized raids within the outskirts of the Gaza Strip in order to complete scanning the border area for infiltrating Hamas terrorists, the military said Friday.
During efforts to locate missing persons, Israeli forces killed Hamas terror units, including one that fired an anti-tank guided missile.
Later on Friday, the IDF said it was conducting widespread airstrikes across the Gaza Strip targeting Hamas terrorists.
Palestinian reports noted that Al Awda Hospital in the northern Strip was told to evacuate immediately by the IDF.
Putin said there had been calls even in the United States for a blockade of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip on a par with “the siege of Leningrad during World War II.”
By REUTERSUpdated: OCTOBER 13, 2023 19:50Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulates security services officers and veterans on Security Agency Worker’s Day, via video link at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, in this picture released on December 20, 2022.(photo credit: SPUTNIK/MIKHAIL METZEL/POOL VIA REUTERS)
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza would result in a level of civilian casualties that would be “absolutely unacceptable.”
Putin was speaking after Israel’s military called for all civilians of Gaza City – more than 1 million people – to relocate south within 24 hours, as it amassed tanks ahead of an expected ground invasion in response to a devastating weekend attack by the Islamist militant group Hamas.
He said there had been calls even in the United States for a blockade of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip on a par with “the siege of Leningrad during World War II.”
“In my view it is unacceptable,” Putin told reporters at a summit in Kyrgyzstan. “More than 2 million people live there. Far from all of them support Hamas by the way, far from all. But all of them have to suffer, including women and children. Of course it’s hard for anyone to agree with this.”
His criticism of Israel was made all the more stinging by the reference to the 1941-44 siege of Leningrad and the implied comparison between Israel and Hitler’s Germany, with potential for causing deep offense in Israel.
Putin: Israel has right to defend itself
Putin said, however, that Israel had the right to defend itself after being subjected to “an attack unprecedented in its cruelty.”
Smoke billows following Israeli strikes amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Gaza, October 13, 2023. (credit: MOHAMMED SALEM/REUTERS)
He called for collective efforts to secure an early ceasefire and stabilize the situation on the ground.
“Russia is ready to coordinate with all constructively minded partners,” Putin said.
He said negotiations should be directed towards a two-state solution of the Middle East conflict in which Palestinians would get their own state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Russia has longstanding ties to both Israel and the Palestinians, including Hamas, but its relations with Israel have come under strain since the start of the Ukraine war.
On Thursday, Moscow urged Israel to agree to a ceasefire to allow food and medicine into Gaza and said it was unacceptable that the “indiscriminate” bombing of the small, blockaded coastal territory was causing so many civilian casualties.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said a deputy minister, Mikhail Bogdanov, met the Lebanese ambassador to Moscow on Friday to discuss the crisis.
It said their conversation emphasized “the inadmissibility of the spread of armed confrontation to Lebanon and other states in the region, the danger of a growing humanitarian crisis and a new massive influx of Palestinian refugees.”
