Israel fires multiple missiles at Syria causing large explosions

Middle East, News December 29, 2021 , by IRIA No Comments

Israel fired multiple missiles at the port of the Syrian coastal city of Latakia on December 28, causing large explosions and fires.

According to a Syrian news agency, the Israeli missiles came from the direction of the Mediterranean and the missile strikes destroyed the facades of a hospital as well as some residential buildings, shops, and tourist sites near the port.

Syrian state TV al-Ikhbariyah release videos showing huge explosions and flames rising from the terminal. Other videos posted on social media also showed fires and smoke raging across the port.

Latakia is the main commercial port in Syria, an important facility where most of the country’s imports are shipped. The recent strikes are the second Israeli attack on a key facility in Syria this month.

According to a local TV reporter, the missile attack was much larger than the strike conducted by Israel earlier this month, and the explosions could be heard in another neighboring city, located more than 50 miles (80 kilometers) away.

When asked about the attack, an Israeli military spokesperson said: “We don’t comment on reports in foreign media.” However, Israeli sources claimed that Iran reportedly transports weapons and other equipment to its militia through this port.

Firefighters working at the scene of missiles attack, at the seaport of the coastal city of Latakia, Syria, on December 28, 2021. (Image Credit: Syrian official news agency SANA) — *^{Firefighters working at the scene of a missiles attack from Israel, at the seaport of the coastal city of Latakia, Syria, on December 28, 2021. (Image Credit: Syrian official news agency SANA)}*

In recent months, Israel has increased the number of attacks against, what it claims to be Iranian targets and Iran-backed militias in Syria, which includes Lebanon’s Hezbollah group that has also been involved in the Syrian civil war in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Earlier on December 7, Israel conducted strikes on, what it claimed to be an Iranian arms shipment at Latakia port located in western Syria. According to a report released by the Israeli army, it destroyed more than 50 targets in Syria in 2020 alone.

Hours after Syrian media denounced Israeli attacks on Latakia port earlier this month, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, referring to the strikes, stated that his countries armed forces have been fighting “bad forces” in the Middle East.

Bennett said “We’re pushing back on the bad forces of this region day and night. We won’t stop for one second. This happens almost daily… In the face of destructive forces, we will continue to act, we will be persistent, and we will not tire.”