Eyewitness Aleppo network confirmed over the past hour ending at 2:45 PM UTC on January 2, 2026, that smoke near the Aleppo Citadel resulted from a fire in a commercial facility in the Bab al-Nasr area, debunking a claim by the Kurdish Ronahi channel of an unknown plane targeting the vicinity. The network's correspondent in Aleppo denied any aerial targeting, labeling the Ronahi claim as misleading, according to a statement published during the reporting window from 1:45 PM to 2:45 PM UTC. This clarification follows an earlier report at 1:45 PM UTC citing an X post by @TOLHILDAN14570 alleging Israeli warplanes bombed the area near the Citadel between 12:45 PM and 1:45 PM UTC, with no official statements from Israeli or Syrian authorities available at that time.
