Syria’s air force is relocating its warplanes to civilian airports and the Russian-controlled Hmeimym air base in Lattakia province over fears of further U.S. strikes, a military source told Zaman al-Wasl.
International airports in the cities of Damascus, Qamishli and Aleppo will house the military aircraft, the source added.
The Trump administration early on Friday warned the Russian and Syrian governments of its planned response three hours before the strike, so Russian experts and pilots took flew their helicopters and warplanes from Shayrat to Hmeimym.
According to the source, Firday’s strike left little damage to the Shayrat air base, adding that the runway was left intact while six damaged MiG-23 fighter jets were currently undergoing repairs.
Furthermore, activists and media claimed that two warplanes took off from Shayrat air base hours after it was struck, and bombed nearby targets.
Syrian rebels said the regime warplanes had later landed at the Al-Dumayr airport, 46 km east of Damascus.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
