Israeli attack hits Syria's coastal port city

Damascus: Two powerful explosions were heard near the outskirts of Baniyas in the coastal region of Syria after midnight on Tuesday in what appeared to be a new Israeli attack.

According to the Syrian Ministry of Defence, around 00:20 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Israeli forces conducted an aerial attack from the direction of the Mediterranean Sea, west of Baniyas, targeting a site in the vicinity of the city.

The assault resulted in some material losses, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, reported that two explosions occurred in Baniyas.

While it is unclear if they were the result of an Israeli attack, the city of Baniyas is known to house an oil port.