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Syria conflict: Israel 'carries out Latakia air strike' | Syria conflict: Israel 'carries out Latakia air strike' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Israeli aircraft have carried out a strike near the Syrian coastal city of Latakia, a US official says. | Israeli aircraft have carried out a strike near the Syrian coastal city of Latakia, a US official says. |
The official said the strike targeted Russian-made missiles intended for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. | The official said the strike targeted Russian-made missiles intended for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. |
Latakia is a stronghold of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, an important port city where the Alawite community to which he belongs is concentrated. | |
Israel is widely reported to have carried out at least three air strikes in Syria so far this year. | |
Reports circulated on Thursday of explosions near Latakia, but the cause was not clear. | Reports circulated on Thursday of explosions near Latakia, but the cause was not clear. |
"Several explosions were heard in an air defence base in the Snubar Jableh area," said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based activist network. | |
Neither Israel nor Syria have commented on the reports. | Neither Israel nor Syria have commented on the reports. |
But a US official said the strike took place overnight from Wednesday into Thursday. | But a US official said the strike took place overnight from Wednesday into Thursday. |
Israel has repeatedly said it would act if it felt Syrian weapons, conventional or chemical, were being transferred to militant groups in the region, especially Hezbollah. | Israel has repeatedly said it would act if it felt Syrian weapons, conventional or chemical, were being transferred to militant groups in the region, especially Hezbollah. |
The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut says the reports come at a delicate moment, with the Russians - who apparently made the weapons that Israel is said to have targeted - working closely with the US to get a peace conference on Syria off the ground. | The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut says the reports come at a delicate moment, with the Russians - who apparently made the weapons that Israel is said to have targeted - working closely with the US to get a peace conference on Syria off the ground. |
Russia has been a key backer of President Assad's, continuing to supply his government with weapons during the conflict in Syria. | Russia has been a key backer of President Assad's, continuing to supply his government with weapons during the conflict in Syria. |
Mr Assad had promised to respond to any future strikes by Israel. | Mr Assad had promised to respond to any future strikes by Israel. |
The uprising against Mr Assad began in 2011. More than 100,000 people have been killed and more than two million people have fled the country, according to the UN. | The uprising against Mr Assad began in 2011. More than 100,000 people have been killed and more than two million people have fled the country, according to the UN. |