Powerful Israeli strikes rattle Tartus, destroying key military installations

According to reports, there were 10 consecutive intense strikes and the effects of the explosions were compared to a magnitude 3.0 earthquake and were felt throughout the region.

An imagine of the strike that shook Tartus. (Photo: Kurdistan24)
An imagine of the strike that shook Tartus. (Photo: Kurdistan24)

Dec. 16, 2024

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) says Israeli warplanes have intensively bombed several military areas of the Syrian army on the border with the city of Tartus for eight hours, calling it one of the “heaviest strikes on the Syrian since 2012.”

"This is the first major and powerful attack on the city, which has bombed including air defense units and surface-to-surface missile storage facilities of the collapsed Syrian army near countryside areas of Tartus," a former Syrian army officer told reporters. “These include the 23rd Brigade, the military unit, and several other areas.”

According to the officer, the Israeli strike against Syria last night was one of the strongest attacks to destroy missiles and arsenals in the caves, and people felt the effects of the explosions and heard the sounds from tens of kilometers away.

"The power of the attacks has spread fear among the residents of the city and surrounding areas," DPA quoted residents as saying.

According to reports, there were 10 consecutive intense strikes and the effects of the explosions were compared to a magnitude 3.0 earthquake and were felt throughout the region.

Kamal Moussa, the former director of Syria's military records, told Arab media that Israel had destroyed 85 percent of the Syrian army's weapons and arsenal in recent attacks.

According to statistics, since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, Israel has carried out more than 500 air strikes to destroy the Syrian army's legacy of military capabilities.

Israel had previously expressed concern that the Syrian regime's chemical weapons (WMDs) could fall into the hands of extremist armed groups.