Israel attacks Syria port for the second time in a month

Israel carried out airstrikes against Syria’s Latakia port in a dawn raid yesterday, setting ablaze a storage container site for the second time in a month, according to local media reports.

“At around 3:21 am, the Israeli enemy carried out an aerial aggression with several missiles from the direction of the Mediterranean … targeting the container yard in Latakia port,” reported SANA, citing a military source.

The source added the airstrikes caused “significant material damage” and noted that that the targets were containers holding oils and spare parts for vehicles. The Al-Nada Hospital and some other buildings opposite the port also sustained some damages.

Images shared by the news agency, showed firefighters tackling the blaze, which was brought under control by midday.

On 7 December, Israel bombed the same port for the first time, in what was described as a rare attack on the city, which is near Russia’s Hemimim airbase. According to Israeli media, both attacks targeted alleged Iranian munition supplies.

According to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Israel has attacked Syria 29 times since the beginning of the year, killing 130 people, including five civilians. Although the Israeli military has declined to comment on the reports, Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz, while visiting an Israeli airbase yesterday called on the region’s countries “to stop Iran from violating their sovereignty and people.”

“Israel will not allow Iran to funnel balance-breaching weapons to its proxies and threaten our citizens,” Gantz said.

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