Israel’s recent bomb strike in Syria, which took place on December 15, 2024, near the city of Tartus in northwestern Syria, has been reported as the heaviest attack in the region since 2012. The explosion, which created a massive mushroom cloud fireball, was so intense that it was registered as a 3.1 magnitude earthquake on the seismic sensors, according to reports from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
The bomb was attributed to Israeli forces by several Hebrew media channels, and the explosion was recorded by the Geographic Survey of Israel’s seismology department at approximately 11:49 p.m. local time. The epicenter of the tremor was located around 28 kilometers (17 miles) off the coast of Banias, Syria. The shockwave from the explosion traveled much faster than an ordinary earthquake, with a US-based researcher, Richard Cordaro, noting that the signal from the explosion traveled twice as fast as seismic waves from an earthquake. Cordaro explained that the signal reached Iznik, Turkey, 820 kilometers away in just 12 minutes, which is significantly quicker than typical earthquake signals.
The airstrike targeted key military sites in the coastal region, including air defense units and missile depots in the 107th Barracks in the Hama area and weapon depots in the Tartus countryside. While no casualties were reported, these strikes have been described as the most violent to occur in the region since Israel began conducting airstrikes in Syria in 2012.
Israeli officials, including Defense Minister Israel Katz, have made it clear that Israel intends to maintain its military presence in Syria for the foreseeable future, especially on the Golan Heights, which separates Syrian and Israeli forces. Katz has emphasized the importance of staying at the summit of Mount Hermon despite the challenging winter weather conditions, given the security significance of the region. This plan comes in the context of ongoing military operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah and the continuing war with Hamas in Gaza.
The violence in Syria is part of Israel’s broader strategy to curb Iranian influence in the region and prevent weapons from reaching hostile groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. These recent developments highlight the growing volatility in Syria, which remains a significant flashpoint in the Middle East.
Sources By Agencies
