Massive Damage, Fires as Israel Attacks Syria’s Port of Latakia

Huge explosions reported at several areas in major port

For the second time this month, Israel has attacked the Syrian port of Latakia. This was a much larger attack, with massive damage reported across the city, and huge explosions causing fires in several areas.

Warplanes attacked from the Mediterranean, and exactly what was damaged or targeted remains uncertain. Israel has again refused to comment on the strike.

Early reports are that residential areas were damaged, and one of the city’s hospitals. Strikes around the port area also hit an area with shipping containers, damaging them.

Attacks on Latakia are risky, because Russia has a base just 12 miles south of the port. Israel didn’t hit that, but that still doesn’t mean Russia might not object to strikes so close to them.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.