MOSCOW, December 16. /TASS/. Israel has attacked Syrian air defense systems in the Tartus province, delivering a blow with a power comparable to an earthquake, a source in the province told TASS.
"They struck the Tartus area, targeting a cement factory that houses Syrian air defenses. The impact was powerful enough to be detected by mobile apps as an earthquake," the source told the agency over the phone.
According to the source, the target of the strike was outside the city of Tartus.
On December 16, the Al Manar TV channel reported that the Israeli Air Force had carried out strikes on military facilities in the Syrian provinces of Tartus, Hama, and Homs, targeting ammunition depots. Later, Al Mayadeen reported that Israeli fighter jets and navy ships had launched missile strikes on 12 Syrian air defense battalions and early warning radars in the coastal areas between Tartus and Latakia.
On December 8, the Israeli military took control of the Syrian side of Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights, facing no resistance. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria was no longer in effect after Syrian troops had left the area following a change of government in Damascus. Israel continues to carry out airstrikes on military facilities in Syria. On December 10, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Syria’s Navy had in fact been destroyed. On December 12, the Israeli army said that massive strikes on Syria had wiped out over 90% of the country’s identified strategic surface-to-air missiles.
In late November, armed opposition units launched a large-scale offensive on positions held by Syrian government forces in the Aleppo and Idlib provinces, capturing several major cities: Aleppo, Hama, Deir ez-Zor, Deraa, and Homs. On December 8, they entered Damascus, prompting government troops to withdraw from the capital. Bashar Assad stepped down as Syrian president and left the country, issuing instructions to ensure a peaceful transition of power. On December 10, Mohammed al-Bashir, who had led the so-called Syrian Salvation Government in the Idlib Province since January 2024, announced his appointment as head of Syria’s interim government. The interim period is expected to last until March 1, 2025.