Israel strikes Syrian port for the second time this month

Israel strikes Syrian port for the second time this month. 

Israel has launched an airstrike on the main port of Syria Latakia on Tuesday. It was the second attack of this month. 

The Syrian army claimed that it set ablaze the container storage area. Two-port officials said Iran was the storage of weapons.

The Israeli military spokesperson could not comment, saying, “We do not make comments on foreign media reports.”

Official Syrian reports did not make mention of any injuries. However, a source with knowledge of the port operation told the AP that the strike targeted the container area. 

Large containers of Iranian ammunition brought in last month were being stored.

“These massive fires and blasts resulted from explosions of munitions that were stored in a warehouse that is close to cargo that is commercial,” the source who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the issue said to Reuters.

Syrian state-owned news agency SANA reported the head of the Latakia fire brigade declaring that the containers targeted during the attack contained oil and spare components for vehicles and machines.

Israel has carried out numerous attacks on what it claims are Iranian-specific targets within Syria. Under the leadership of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Iran-backed forces have been deployed in the past 10 years to aid president Bashar al-Assad during the civil war in Syria.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, visiting an Israeli air force base, did not discuss the incident that occurred on Tuesday. 

But, he warned that his country would not allow Iran to use Syria to harm Israel.

“I ask all the countries in the region to stop Iran from infringing upon their sovereignty as well as their people. Israel will not let Iran to transfer weapons that violate balance to its proxies and then threaten the lives of our people,” Gantz said.

Another Syrian source familiar with Iranian military operations in Syria stated that Tehran has recently moved weapons through the sea to evade increased Israeli strikes that hit the eastern part of Syria close to a supply route across its border with Iraq.

The strikes dismantled many convoys of weapons being dispatched through Tehran from Iraq. He also added details verified by a Western security source.

Iran has extended the military’s presence within Syria in recent years, where it is now present in all areas under the control of the state. 

Western intelligence sources say that hundreds of militias and regional paramilitary forces are in its direction.

A military source told SANA that Israel was responsible for the strike by air on the storage container area in the early hours of 3.21 a.m. (0121 GMT), which caused an explosion and caused “big physical damages.”

Firefighters were working to put out the fire, as reported by the head of the Latakia fire brigade. Syrian state-run television footage showed smoke and flames within the container area.

The state-run radio station al-Ikhbariya reported that the force of the blasts damaged several housing structures and a hospital, and many tourist and retail establishments.

Russia is the most powerful ally for Assad throughout the conflict, runs an airbase in Hmeimim about 20 kilometers (12 miles) away from Latakia.