Israeli airstrikes hit Syrian coastal cities, killing one civilian

Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes on Syria’s coastal regions on May 30, targeting multiple sites in and around the cities of Latakia and Tartous. 

The strikes resulted in the death of one civilian and injured three others, Caliber.Az writes quoting Syrian media. 

According to the reports, the airstrikes hit areas near the villages of Zama and Burj Islam in the Jableh countryside, as well as locations near the port of Tartous and between the villages of Dweir Taha and Western Blata in the northern Tartous countryside. The attack caused both human casualties and material damage.

Additional strikes reportedly targeted Brigade 107 in the Jableh area, the Ras Shamra region north of Latakia, and the outskirts of Tartous city.

The Israeli military confirmed the operation, stating that it had targeted facilities believed to be storing weapons, including missiles that "posed a threat to international and Israeli maritime freedom of navigation" in Latakia. It also said it had struck "surface-to-air missile components" in the region.

In its official statement, the Israeli Defence Forces emphasised that it would continue to operate freely in the region to neutralise threats to Israel and its citizens.

Syria and Israel have technically remained in a state of war since 1948. Tensions escalated significantly after Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War.

Since the fall of longtime Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December, Israel has intensified its military operations in Syria, conducting hundreds of airstrikes and cross-border incursions. Israeli officials claim these actions are aimed at preventing the transfer of advanced weaponry to Syria’s new leadership, which they view as dominated by jihadist elements.

By Sabina Mammadli