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 Air Base  | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Tiyas is the largest airbase in Syria.[2]
History
editDuring the 1970s and 1980s, the Soviet Union was given access to the Tiyas Air Base for the periodic deployment of naval aircraft.
Civil war
editThe 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.[3]
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.[citation needed]
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
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Tiyas Air Base (OS72)". World Airport Codes.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Syria says air defences responding to 'new Israeli aggression'". Reuters. Reuters. 10 February 2018. Archived from the original on February 11, 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.