Suspected Israeli air strikes hit Baniyas on Syria’s Mediterranean coast

The facility is thought to be the main delivery point for Iranian weapons

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Israelhas been suspected of launching an air attack on the Syrian city of Baniyas, that caused some material loss, the Syrian state news agency said on Tuesday.

Syria’s air defence systems intercepted and shot down some of the missiles, the agency said. A fire broke out after the strikes.

“At approximately 00:20 past midnight, the Israeli enemy launched an air strike from the direction of the Mediterranean Sea west of Baniyas, targeting one of the points in the vicinity of the city of Baniyas, resulting in some material losses,” the agency said, citing a military source.

The attack allegedly targeted Iranian-linked forces in the area.

The government-controlled city of Baniyas is home to a critical oil refinery, which provides much of Syria’s fuel demand. Iranian tankers often dock at its port and a number of them have suffered suspected Israeli attacks in recent years.

The port is also thought by analysts to be one of the main weapons supply points in Syria. In 2017, Israeli security firm ImageSat International released satellite imagery it said showed ballistic missile production and deployment close to the port.

The images were strikingly similar to ballistic missile production sites previously identified in Iran.

Israel has not confirmed the strike and rarely comments on operations, but it has repeatedly said it will not allow Iran to expand its presence in Syria.

Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes on sites in Syria since 2012. The targets have mainly been Iran-backed forces, including militants from Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iraqi militias, as well as Syrian army air defence sites.

Last month, Israel conducted an attack that targeted the southern region of Damascus near the Golan Heights where at least two people were killed.

Iran backs the Syrian government of President Bashar Al Assad and Hezbollah, which supports Hamas.

The strikes have increased since Israel’s war with the Palestinian militant group Hamas began on October 7.

Tehran is a crucial political, military and financial backer of Damascus, and has sent military advisers and volunteers to bolster its forces.

Tehran says it has stationed forces in Syria at the invitation of Damascus, but only as advisers.