Damascus says it is repelling an alleged Israeli attack targeting a major port on the Mediterranean sea
Syrian air defences were activated after the country’s principal port city of Latakia came under a missile attack, which sparked a major fire resulting in significant damage to the port, Syria’s state media reported.
The attack took place around 3:21 a.m local time [01:21 GMT] on Tuesday, with rockets being launched from the “depth of Mediterranean”, SANA’s news agency reported.
Footage posted online shows a series of blasts rocking what appears to be the port.
#Latakia, #Syria
Clearer view of blasts caused by #IAF 🇮🇱 airstrikes. pic.twitter.com/HWrnFK97f0— Aleph א (@no_itsmyturn) December 28, 2021
Closer video from Latakia port showing the Israeli cruise missile impacts pic.twitter.com/6QdG6b9mJB
— ELINT News (@ELINTNews) December 28, 2021
Flames can be seen engulfing the port and lighting up the night skies in another clip from the scene.
#Latakia #Syria
Part 1/3 pic.twitter.com/ZKhYK2yVm4— Aleph א (@no_itsmyturn) December 28, 2021
The port has reportedly sustained “great” material damage in the strike. “A number of containers” were burned down as the result of the attack, SANA reported.
There have been no reports of casualties.
READ MORE: ‘Israeli airstrikes’ target Syrian port – state media
The airstrike comes exactly three weeks after the port was subject to a similar attack, which Damascus also blamed on Tel Aviv. At that time, several missiles hit the port in an overnight raid, igniting fire in the container area.
The raid comes as tensions flare up between Damascus and Tel Aviv. Earlier on Monday, the Syrian government accused Israel of “unprecedented escalation” after the Israeli government gave the green light to the $317 million settlement plan in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Under the plan, the number of Jewish settlers in the area is set to double over the next five years. Damascus, which condemned the planned expansion as a “blatant violation” of international law, sees the Golan Heights as part of its sovereign territory under the UN Security Council resolutions.
https://ift.tt/2hpq7SJ 28, 2021 at 07:26AM
from RT – Daily news