Latakia International Airport

Until 2024 the airport was officially known as Bassel Al-Assad International Airport ({{langx|ar|مطار باسل الأسد الدولي}}), named for Bassel al-Assad (1962–1994), son of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and brother of his successor Bashar al-Assad.

In 2025, negotiations between Syria and Russia stalled over control and the reopening of Latakia International Airport. Despite efforts by Damascus since late January, Russia refused to hand over the facility due to its proximity to the Khmeimim Air Base (occupied by Russian forces) and ongoing security concerns. Moscow also demanded official recognition of its military presence at the Khmeimim and Tartus bases, further complicating the talks.

As of June 2025, the airport remains closed to civilian traffic.

The passenger terminal opened in 1983; the tower was operational by 1989.https://lca.logcluster.org/syrian-arab-republic-223-latakia-international-airport The airport is at an elevation of {{convert|157|ft|0|abbr=on}} above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 17/35 with an asphalt surface measuring {{convert|2797|x|45|m|0|abbr=on}}.

As of June 2025, Latakia International Airport is closed and has no civilian flights operating from it.

{{main|Khmeimim Air Base}}

Adjacent to the civilian airport buildings is the Russian Khmeimim airbase, the principal Russian airbase being used in the air campaign in Syria since 30 September 2015. The name of the air base Хмеймим has been also transliterated as Hemeimeem Air Base and Hmeymin Air Base.{{cite web| url=http://eng.mil.ru/en/multimedia/photo/gallery.htm?id=26075@cmsPhotoGallery

| title=Press-tour of the Russian and foreign Media representatives to the Hmeymim airbase in Syria| publisher=Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation |date=11 November 2015| access-date=24 November 2015}} Among the Russian servicemen posted, there were as of early October 2015 around 600 members of the Russian Naval Infantry, whose role is to help provide security for the airbase.{{cite news |last1=Myers |first1=Steven Lee |last2=Schmitt |first2=Eric |date=14 October 2015 |title=Russian Military Uses Syria as Proving Ground, and West Takes Notice |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/15/world/middleeast/russian-military-uses-syria-as-proving-ground-and-west-takes-notice.html |newspaper=The New York Times |location=Online |access-date=15 October 2015 }}

Russian military activity at Latakia Airport was revealed by American intelligence officials by early September 2015, with U.S. officials expressing concern.{{cite news |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/11846382/Russia-is-building-military-base-in-Syria.html |author=Rob Crilly |title=Russia 'is building military base in Syria' |work=The Telegraph |date=5 September 2015| access-date=24 November 2015}}{{cite web |url= https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/russian-build-continues-base-syria-causing-concern-us/story?id=33637451 |author=Luis Martinez| title=Russian build-up continues at base in Syria, causing concern among US officials |work=ABC News| date=9 September 2015| access-date=24 November 2015}} An Su-24 shot down by Turkish fighters on 24 November 2015 was said to be on its way back to Khmeimim.{{cite web | url =http://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/2467225|title=Минобороны РФ: российский Су-24 сбили при возвращении на авиабазу в Сирии |publisher=Russian News Agency TASS|language=Russian| date=24 November 2015| access-date =24 November 2015}}

The base, operative since 30 September 2015, can handle Antonov An-124 and Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft. It has parking locations{{clarify|reason=As an interim fix, I've replaced "bays," which was supposedly in a cited source (though I can't find it in the cited sources) with "parking locations"; both "bay" and "parking location" are imprecise; "bay" is not a typical term for an aircraft parking area. Are the "bays" revetments, designated parking spots on an apron, protective shelters, hangars, or something else? If this cannot be determined, then perhaps the source that used "bays" can be quoted to a greater extent in order to show context, allowing the reader to understand better what was intended by "bays," or to show the reader that the source itself was dubious, imprecise, or inaccurate|date=November 2015}} for more than 50 military aircraft including Su-24s, Su-25s, and Su-34s.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}} In addition, the base is home to T-90 tanks, BTR-82 vehicles, artillery and Mi-24 gunship helicopters and Mi-8 support choppers. Air-conditioned accommodations were erected within a few months in 2015.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}} Other new structures include storage facilities, field kitchens, and refueling stations.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}} Supplies are flown in from Russia or shipped via Tartus harbor 50 km away.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}} On 26 November 2015, it was reported that S-400 missile system had been deployed by Russia.{{cite web |url=http://kommersant.ru/doc/2862671| title=Россия развернула в Сирии ЗРК С-400| publisher=Kommersant |date=26 November 2015 |access-date=26 November 2015}}

{{reflist}}

• {{NWS-current|OSLK}}
• {{ASN|LTK}}

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{{Airports in Syria}}

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Category:Airports in Syria

Category:Buildings and structures in Latakia Governorate

Category:2015 in the Syrian civil war

Category:Russia–Syria relations