DAMASCUS -- Israeli missile strikes targeted both international airports in the capital Damascus, and the northern province of Aleppo on Thursday, the Syrian army said in a statement carried by the official media outlets.

The attacks, which occurred at approximately 13:50 local time (1050 GMT), resulted in significant damage to the runways of both facilities, rendering them temporarily out of service.

The statement said the Israeli attacks are diversionary tactics to shift attention away from its ongoing operations in Gaza.

The attacks on both airports came as Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian is scheduled to visit Syria on Friday.

The latest development adds to the explosive situation in the region as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues.