Tiyas Air Base
Tiyas Air Base  | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Air base | ||||||||||
| Owner | Syrian Armed Forces | ||||||||||
| Operator | Syrian Arab Air Force | ||||||||||
| Location | Tiyas, Homs Governorate | ||||||||||
| In use | Present | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 34°31′21″N 37°37′47″E / 34.52250°N 37.62972°E | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  Tiyas Air Base Location in Syria | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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The Tiyas Air Base, also known as the T-4 Air base, is a Syrian Arab Air Force (SyAAF) base located in the Homs Governorate, north of Tiyas, and west of the ancient city of Palmyra, Syria.
Tiyas is the largest airbase in Syria.[1]
History
[edit]During the 1970s and 1980s, the Soviet Union was given access to the Tiyas Air Base for the periodic deployment of naval aircraft.
Civil war
[edit]The airbase was used by the Syrian Arab Air Force and Iran's Quds Force for military operations against ISIL and opposition forces during the Syrian Civil War.[2]
In December 2016, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) attacked the airbase a day after overrunning pro-government forces in nearby Palmyra. ISIL claimed to have destroyed four Syrian military aircraft during their attack on the airbase.[3]
The Israeli Air Force launched an attack on the airbase on 10 February 2018, destroying the main observation tower, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.[4]
The base was struck again on 9 April 2018 by multiple missiles, it was not immediately clear who was behind the attack however U.S officials denied launching any air attack on Syria.[5]
It was reported that the April 2018 attack on the base destroyed a hangar used to shelter drones and an Iranian supplied anti-aircraft Tor missile system, before it could be set up and become fully operational.[6][7][8]
T-4 air base has been used by Iran-backed Shia militias to launch drone strikes against U.S. bases in northern Syria during summer 2021.[9]
Israeli warplanes attacked the airbase with missiles again on 8 October 2021 around 9:30 pm. Six Syrian soldiers were injured according to Syrian media. Israel claims that the airbase is still used by Iranian forces.[10]
Aircraft
[edit]- 1 Squadron MiG-25PD/PU/RB
- 5 Squadron MiG-25PD/PU/RB
- 819 Squadron Su-24MK
- 827 Squadron Su-22M-4[11]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Fortress T4: An Airbase at War - bellingcat". Bellingcat. 29 June 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ Gross, Judah (10 February 2018). "IDF accuses Iran of setting up air base outside Syrian city of Palmyra". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ Persio, Sofia Lotto (12 December 2016). "After retaking control of Palmyra, Islamic State targets Tiyas airbase". International Business Times UK. International Business Times UK. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ "Syria says air defences responding to 'new Israeli aggression'". Reuters. Reuters. 10 February 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ "Strikes hit Syrian airfield - reports". BBC News. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ Nissenbaum, Dion; Jones, Rory (17 April 2018). "Israel Conferred With U.S. on Strike in Syria to Target Iranian War Gear". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
- ^ "Revealed: Israel 'Struck Advanced Iranian Air-defense System' in Syria". Haaretz. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
- ^ "Report: Israel targeted advanced Iranian air defense system in Syria strike". Times of Israel. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
- ^ "Pro-Iran militias warn of forceful response after Israeli strike on Syria's Palmyra". Reuters. 14 October 2021.
- ^ "Israeli planes said to strike Syrian airbase near Homs, wounding 6". Times of Israel. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
- ^ Pike, John. "Syrian Arab Air Force – Order of Battle". Global Security. Retrieved 9 April 2018.