Syria Reopens Airspace and Jdeidet Yabous Border Crossing With Lebanon

The Syrian General Authority for Land and Sea Ports and Customs announced the reopening of the Jdeidet Yabous border crossing with Lebanon as of Thursday morning, April 9, after the risks that had prompted a temporary suspension of operations in recent days subsided.

The authority said the crossing will continue providing services to travelers around the clock, under approved civilian and legal frameworks, while all necessary administrative measures are being taken to ensure the safety of travelers and the smooth flow of entry and exit.

It also called on travelers to comply with instructions issued by the crossing’s administration to help facilitate procedures and ensure proper operations.

On April 5, the authority announced a temporary suspension of movement through the Jdeidet Yabous border crossing with Lebanon until any potential risks had passed.

At the time, the authority’s director of public relations, Mazen Alloush, said the closure would be temporary until stability was confirmed, out of concern for travelers’ safety.

Alloush said the crossing is designated exclusively for civilian travel and is not used for any military purpose. He added that there are no armed groups or militias at the crossing, and that it is not allowed to be used for any activity outside civilian and legal frameworks.

The announcement of the crossing’s closure from the Syrian side came after an Israeli warning to those present in the area of the al-Masnaa crossing on the Syrian-Lebanese border, as well as to all travelers on the M30 road, to evacuate the area before it was targeted.

Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said that Lebanese Hezbollah was using the crossing for military purposes and to smuggle weapons, according to his statement.

Adraee said the Israeli army would carry out strikes on the crossing in the near future, warning that anyone remaining in the area would be endangering themselves.

The crossing had also witnessed a halt in passenger traffic in both directions on March 4, according to a statement made at the time by Mazen Alloush, director of public relations at the Syrian crossings authority.

That came after a warning was reportedly sent to the al-Masnaa crossing from the Lebanese side, calling for evacuation due to the possibility of Israeli shelling in the area.

Air traffic through Syrian airspace resumes

Yesterday, Wednesday, April 8, the Syrian General Authority of Civil Aviation issued a press statement announcing the reopening of all air corridors that had previously been closed and the resumption of air traffic through Syrian airspace.

The statement said regular operations had resumed at Damascus International Airport, with arrivals and departures returning according to approved schedules.

According to the authority, the decision followed a comprehensive technical assessment carried out in coordination with regional and international bodies, “to ensure the highest standards of aviation safety and enhance the efficiency and smooth flow of air navigation in line with international standards.”

The authority said the move came in response to recent regional developments and based on ongoing technical assessments conducted by a specialized risk management committee.

The decision to reopen all air corridors and resume air traffic through Syrian airspace came after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran.

Damascus International Airport resumed operations shortly after midnight on Wednesday, with the first flight departing to Sabiha Gokcen International Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, marking the beginning of a gradual return to air transport and enhanced regional connectivity.

Closures amid regional tensions

On February 28, the Syrian General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport announced the temporary closure of southern air corridors in Syrian airspace due to the war on Iran, before later extending the closure to include March 1 and 2.

At the time, the authority said the step was based on ongoing operational and technical assessments, amid regional security developments and as part of efforts to uphold the highest standards of civil aviation safety and security.

On March 3, the authority announced the reopening of air corridors in the northern sector of Syrian airspace toward Turkey.

This was followed on March 4 by an announcement that Aleppo International Airport would resume operations, while the rest of the air corridors and Damascus International Airport would remain closed until further notice.

On March 5, the aviation authority also announced the reopening of an air corridor linking Aleppo to the Mediterranean Sea, alongside the reopening of northern air routes toward Turkey and the resumption of operations at Aleppo International Airport.

On March 7, the General Authority of Civil Aviation granted Syrian Airlines approval to operate a number of flights from Aleppo International Airport to several regional destinations via a safe air route passing over the Mediterranean Sea.

These measures came amid recent regional developments, particularly following the military escalation between Iran and Israel and the security tensions that affected air traffic in several Middle Eastern countries.

Those developments prompted many airlines and civil aviation authorities to reassess flight paths and make adjustments to air navigation routes in order to ensure the safety of civil aviation.

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