Photo gallery: Syria's Mazzeh air base destroyed, abandoned

The remains of a helicopter destroyed by an Israeli air strike is still visible near the hangars of the Mazzeh air base, in Damascus, Syria, on Dec. 19, 2024. (Yan Boechat/VOA)

In the offices of the Mazzeh air base, files with flight and aircraft information were left untouched after the soldiers responsible for this airport left more than two weeks ago, in Damascus, on Dec. 19, 2024. (Yan Boechat/VOA)

One of the few posters with the Bashar al-Assad’s face still intact inside the Mazzeh air base, in Damascus, on Dec. 19, 2024. (Yan Boechat/VOA)

The remains of a helicopter destroyed by an Israeli air strike outside a protected area in the Mazzeh air base, in Damascus, on Dec. 19, 2024. (Yan Boechat/VOA)

Airplanes and air defense systems were destroyed by Israeli air strikes that hit the Mazzeh air base multiple times in the last week, in Damascus, on Dec. 19, 2024. (Yan Boechat/VOA)

Airplanes were destroyed by Israeli air strikes that hit the Mazzeh air base multiple times in the last week, in Damascus, on Dec. 19, 2024. (Yan Boechat/VOA)

Old airplanes from the Soviet era that were stationed at the Mazzeh air base were also destroyed by Israeli air strikes, in Damascus, on Dec. 19, 2024. (Yan Boechat/VOA)

Airplanes that were destroyed by the Israeli airstrikes in the Mazzeh air base are still scattered near the airstrip, in Damascus, on Dec. 19, 2024. (Yan Boechat/VOA)

Several military helicopters used by the Syrian forces during the civil war were destroyed by Israeli air strikes in the Mazzeh Air Base last week, in Damascus, on Dec. 19, 2024. (Yan Boechat/VOA)

Many missiles are still intact at the Mazzeh air base after it has been attacked multiple times in the last week by Israeli forces, in Damascus, on Dec. 19, 2024 (Yan Boechat/VOA)

Farmers that live around the Mazzeh air base started bringing their sheep to be fed around the edge of the airport after the Israelis air strikes destroyed most of it, in Damascus, on Dec. 19, 2024. (Yan Boechat/VOA)

An air defense system that was operating inside the Mazzeh air base was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes last week, in Damascus, on Dec. 19, 2024. (Yan Boechat/VOA)