On Friday night, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out strikes on surface-to-air missiles and weapons depots in the Latakia region of Syria, an area located in the northwest of the country, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea
According to the Israeli military, these weapons posed a threat to the freedom of maritime navigation of Israel and other countries.
The IDF statement stressed that the missiles could endanger security in the region, and Israel will continue to act to protect its citizens and maintain its freedom of action.
The strikes
The strikes come at a time of change in Syria.
In December 2024, President Bashar Assad was overthrown by a rebellion led by Sunni jihadist groups.
Since then, Israel has carried out several air operations in the country, destroying military bases, equipment and weapons of the former government.
In addition, Israel took control of a small strip of land east of the Golan Heights border, creating a buffer zone between the two countries.
Days after Assad’s fall, Israeli fighter jets bombed military targets in the port cities of Latakia and Tartus.
Reports indicate that in Tartus, the targets included an air defense base and a surface-to-surface missile depot.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an organization that monitors the conflict in Syria, these were the most intense strikes in the country’s coastal region in more than a decade.
Interestingly, a small earthquake measuring 3.0 magnitude was recorded in Tartus at the time of the strikes.
“? The IDF struck components of surface-to-air missiles and weapon storage facilities containing coastal missiles that posed a threat to international and Israeli maritime freedom of navigation, in the Latakia area of Syria, a short while ago.
? Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 30, 2025
The IDF will continue to operate? pic.twitter.com/FAXmPOoTqX
Efforts to reduce tensions
Recently, there have been attempts at dialogue to calm tensions between Israel and Syria.
In May, Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa mentioned at a press conference in Paris alongside French President Emmanuel Macron that indirect talks were taking place through mediators to prevent the situation from getting out of hand.
On Thursday, the US special envoy for Syria, Thomas Barrack, visited Damascus and proposed a non-aggression agreement between Syria and Israel.
The idea would be a first step towards normalizing relations between the two countries, after more than a decade without official diplomatic contact between Syria and the United States.
This scenario highlights a delicate moment, with military actions on one side and attempts at dialogue on the other, as the region seeks stability.
Published in 05/31/2025 19h27
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.
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