Israeli strikes on Hama and Homs this week come amid an escalation in tensions with Turkey, as both countries seek to gain political leverage from the turmoil in Syria.

The Israeli army carried out multiple airstrikes in different parts of Syria on Wednesday, including the capital Damascus, and “almost completely destroyed” a military airport in another major city as Israel continues to degrade the war-torn country’s military capabilities.

This is the moment an airbase in Hama, Syria, was targeted by an Israeli airstrike, nearly destroying the facility.

Syria accused Israel on Thursday of mounting a deadly destabilisation campaign after a wave of strikes on military targets, including an airport, and a ground incursion killed 13 people.

Turkey scoped out at least three air bases in Syria where it could deploy forces as part of a planned joint defence pact before Israel hit the sites with air strikes this week, four people familiar with the matter said.

Two military airports were completely disabled following the bombardment of strategic sites in central Syria, namely Hama Military Airport and the T4 Military Airbase. Official sources in Syria’s southern Daraa province confirmed to The Media Line that at least nine civilians were killed and several others injured in an initial toll after Israeli strikes targeted Harsh Sadd al-Jabiliyah,