Syria halts Damascus flights after Israeli strikes

DAMASCUS, June 10 (AFP): All flights to and from Syria's capital were halted Friday, the government said, after Israeli air strikes wounded at least one civilian and reportedly caused damage to an airport runway.

Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes against its neighbour, targeting government troops as well as allied Iran-backed forces and fighters from Lebanon's Hezbollah, but rarely have such attacks caused major flight disruptions.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said the latest strike carried out before dawn on Friday hit three arms depots near Damascus airport belonging to Hezbollah, as well as other Iran-backed groups.

Syria's transport ministry later announced the "suspension of incoming and outgoing flights through Damascus International Airport" as a result of technical disruptions.