From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, August 10, 2021
Reports: Casualties in explosion on ship docked at Syria’s Latakia harbor
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
There was a major explosion in a commercial ship docked in Syria’s Latakia harbor Tuesday afternoon, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other Arabic-language media.
The SOHR report says that the explosion “left casualties and caused considerable material damage.” Later reports say two people have been lightly injured.
The cause of the blast is still unknown.
Some reports say the targeted ship is Iranian.
Updated: Two people(Ship workers) injured in a merchant ship fire in Lattakia port; fire brigade commander said #Syria???????? pic.twitter.com/sDePlyqCzi
— Wᵒˡᵛᵉʳᶤᶰᵉ Uᵖᵈᵃᵗᵉˢ???? (@W0lverineupdate) August 10, 2021
فيديو متداول للحريق الذي اندلع في عنبر إحدى السفن في ميناء #اللاذقية#تلفزيون_سوريا pic.twitter.com/nWOPNU8Wsg
— تلفزيون سوريا (@syr_television) August 10, 2021
The incident comes after a sharp escalation in the Gulf of Oman. On July 29, armed UAVs struck the Mercer Street, a ship operated by an Israeli-owned company in the UK. Two sailors died in the attack.
On August 3, the Asphalt Princess was stopped and boarded in the Gulf of Oman.
Iran is believed to be behind both incidents, but denies responsibility.
