On the night of December 4, the Shayrat airbase, located in the southern part of the Homs province, was attacked by unmanned aerial vehicles launched by militants of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, a terrorist group banned in Russia – editor's note). According to local sources, the drones attacked key facilities on the territory of the base. Information about casualties and damage is still being clarified.

Shayrat is one of the strategic air bases of the Syrian army, playing an important role in supporting operations against opposition groups. The base has been attacked before, but this is the first time drones have been used in the area in recent times. The military notes that the attack could have been aimed at disrupting the coordination of air operations between Syrian and allied forces.

According to preliminary data, several drones were destroyed on approach, but some of them managed to reach their targets. Local residents in the vicinity of the base reported loud explosions that were heard throughout the night.

Experts note that the use of drones is becoming an increasingly common tactic on the part of the HTS. Such attacks allow them to strike strategic targets with minimal losses for the attackers. In addition, this creates additional threats to air defense, which must quickly adapt to new challenges.