One person was killed Thursday in what Syrian sources described as a drone strike on a car traveling the road to Aleppo International Airport. The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) quoted the Ministry of Health as saying, “One person was killed as a result of a drone attack on a car on the road to Aleppo International Airport.”
Photos published by state media showed the vehicle, identified as a Hyundai Santa Fe, burning on the roadside. Local outlets reported that two missiles struck the car, which had only a single occupant. Civil defense crews and ambulances were dispatched to extinguish the fire and clear the road.
Unclear Responsibility for the Strike
While SANA did not attribute responsibility, many local outlets speculate that a drone “likely belonging to the international coalition” was responsible. The coalition, led by the US, has not issued a statement on the incident. The strike comes amid ongoing security operations in northern Syria, where coalition forces have targeted “terrorist groups” in recent years.
This latest attack follows a similar pattern of aerial strikes on vehicles in “former opposition-held areas.” On June 10, an unidentified drone targeted a car in the Karama camps near Atma in Idlib province, killing one and wounding four. Hours later, another strike hit a motorcycle on the Sarmada-Bardali road, also in Idlib, killing its rider.
Aftermath and Broader Context
Local sources reported no additional casualties from Thursday’s strike, and the identity of the victim has not been released. Videos circulating on social media showed the car completely engulfed in flames, while the surrounding area was cordoned off by emergency crews.
The incident occurred as the new Syrian administration continues efforts to stabilize the country following the fall of Bashar al-Assad earlier this year, ending his 24-year rule. Despite these moves, Syrian officials say sporadic attacks by foreign forces remain a challenge.
“The occupying Israeli state continues to launch occasional attacks on Syrian territory, despite the Syrian administration posing no threat to it in any way,” SANA reported in its coverage of the Aleppo strike. Authorities have not confirmed whether the victim was a civilian or a figure linked to armed groups.
