Factions loyal to the Syrian regime launched a new attack on the Hmeimim airport in western Syria and bombarded it on Wednesday, boding an impending confrontation between the government of President Ahmed Al-Sharaa and the Russians. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that three people had been killed, citing unnamed sources, although it is unclear whether these were Russian soldiers or Syrian militants.

Reports also surfaced of increased sectarian tensions in other parts of Syria, which included posters hung on Maronite churches in Tartus that demanded they pay jizya, an Islamic tribute tax for protected minorities.

Speaking to i24NEWS' Arabic channel, journalist Ata Farhat said that "the continuous inflow and mobilization of hundreds of foreign fighters in the village of Sharasher, which is only 2 kilometers away [just over a mile] from Hmeimim Airport, followed harsh confrontations and a drone attack on Hmeimim Airport. The airport's air defenses confronted it, and the attack resulted in the killing of two Russian soldiers, in addition to three foreign fighters who apparently were of Turkistani nationality."

Farhat added: "For a while, there has been a gathering of foreign fighter forces on the Syrian coast, and the reason for this is unknown. However, the attack on Hmeimim was their first step, especially after Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov spoke and said there was great concern in the Middle East, particularly in Syria, due to foreign militant groups. This was also confirmed by Russia's representative to the United Nations. Apparently, these factions considered these statements as threats and started attacking Russia on Syrian soil." The militants, he said, "fall under the Syrian Ministry of Defense."

Farhat referred to other security incidents and tensions, saying that "despite the lifting of sanctions on Syria and the legitimacy government's promises of internal stability in Syria, heavy artillery bombardment occurred on the western countryside in Al-Suweida." Such weapons, he added, "are only owned by the state, reaching more than five kilometers [three miles], in addition to a house searching campaign in Sahnaya looking for weapons." (i24NEWS)

•PHOTO: Syrian Red Crescent vehicles evacuate wounded civilians who have sought refuge from violence at Russia's Hmeimim base in Syria's Mediterranean province of Latakia, on March 11, 2025.OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP