Israeli airstrikes hit Syria’s Latakia and Tartous, one civilian killed
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In a renewed escalation, Israeli airstrikes targeted Syria’s coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous, resulting in the death of one civilian, Syria’s state news agency reported on Friday.
The strikes come despite recent direct talks between Israel and Syria’s interim government aimed at reducing tensions.
The Israeli military confirmed the operation, stating that the targeted sites were weapon storage facilities housing missiles that “posed a threat to international and Israeli maritime freedom of navigation” in the Mediterranean coastal region of Latakia.
The Syrian state news agency noted that one civilian was killed in the Latakia strike, but further details on casualties or damage remain unclear.
Israel has carried out a long-standing campaign of air raids across Syria, mainly focused on dismantling Iranian and allied military infrastructure. This campaign has intensified since the onset of the war on Gaza. However, the pace of strikes had slowed recently, coinciding with diplomatic efforts between the two sides to avoid further military confrontation.