Israel Destroys Syrian Weapons Stockpile in Latakia, Tartus

Photo Credit: SOHR

Air strike on Syrian Army munitions warehouses along the country's Mediterranean coast.

The Israel Air Force reportedly carried out intensive airstrikes along Syria’s Mediterranean coast Sunday night into the wee hours of Monday.

⚠️ Intense airstrikes reported in Tartus, with villages in northern Lebanon shaking from the impact of the strikes. pic.twitter.com/1ujuiVyD98

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There were at least 18 airstrikes reported in the areas of the ports of Tartus and Latakia, described by the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) as “the heaviest strikes in Syria’s coastal region since the start of strikes in 2012.”

Russian forces were seen moving towards their Tartus Naval Base and Latakia Air Base prior to the attacks.

The strike in Tartus caused a massive explosion and shock wave that registered on nearby seismographs as a 3.0-magnitude earthquake.

Villages in northern Lebanon were shaken by the explosions.

Reports on social media alleged the strikes targeted the Syria’s 23rd Air Defense Brigade headquarters in addition to the munitions warehouses belonging to the Syrian Army’s 107th missile brigade and other storage sites containing surface-to-surface missiles and ammunition.

Massive secondary explosions were seen across western Syria from the strikes in Tartus.

The Hezbollah-linked Al Mayadeen news outlet in Lebanon reported that 12 radar sites were targeted along with an air defense system and strategic weapons depots.

Although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a week ago that Israel has no interest in interfering in the internal affairs of the country, nevertheless, he added, “We are taking all the actions necessary to try to ensure our security with regard to the new situation in Syria.”

The Israeli military has been ordered to “destroy heavy strategic weapons throughout Syria, including surface-to-air missiles, air defense systems, surface-to-surface missiles, cruise missiles, long-range rockets and coastal missiles,” according to a statement last week by Defense Minister Israel Katz.