A report in the Wall Street Journal noted not only that Syria has accused Israel of the recent strike on the port this week, but also that a US official indicated that the Iranian presence at the facility “put a big target on civilian infrastructure that would not be targeted otherwise.”
The fires at the port burned throughout the day on December 28, showing that whatever was destroyed at the port was flammable and likely composed of munitions or other dangerous cargo transported from Iran to its allies, possibly being prepared for a final destination with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
This marks the strike on December 28 as larger than the December 7 strike.
Both incidents raise eyebrows because Latakia is near several sensitive Russian bases in Syria, including the Khmeimim airbase and the Tartus naval base. READ MORE
