COLOSSAL BLAST
Moment ‘Israeli earthquake bomb’ hits Syria in heaviest blitz on region for 12 years that registered on Richter scale
Watch footage of the jaw-dropping blast in our video player
THIS is the dramatic moment a colossal explosion erupted in Syria, marking the "heaviest strikes" to hit the region in over a decade - and even registering on the Richter scale.
Astounding video showed a giant mushroom-cloud fireball filling the sky alongside deafening sounds - with claims that the blast was caused by an Israeli strike.
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The explosion is believed to have taken place in northwestern Syria, near the city of Tartus, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
Israel was targeting a munitions depot in the area, the war monitor claimed.
And they revealed how the ground-shaking blast measured the same as a 3.0-magnitude earthquake on nearby seismic sensors.
Dozens of other Israeli attacks were seen across Syria on Sunday with warplanes reportedly launching pinpoint strikes on weapons depots.
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The SOHR said Israel was targeting a series of sites including air defence units and "surface-to-surface missile depots".
It described last night's blasts as "the heaviest strikes in Syria's coastal region since the start of strikes in 2012".
They come just days after more Israeli strikes on Syrian airbases lit up the night sky following the fall of Assad's brutal regime.
Footage on Monday night showed a spectacular string of hits on the Qamishli airbase in the northeast of the country, Sky News reported.
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The ammunition dump was an Israeli hit, sources told Reuters.
The blitz raged for at least 30 minutes as the sound of shells and arms blowing up rang across the area.
Incredible moment Israeli forces unleash strikes on Syrian fighter jets and weapons arsenal
Ever since Assad fled to Russia after Syrian rebels ousted his government, Israel has been striking military targets inside the country.
It has pounded military planes and ships belonging to the toppled president - with 300 airstrikes in just a week.
The Israeli military has said it is carrying out the attacks to stop Assad's weapons and military kit “falling into terrorist hands”.
Iran - longtime ally of Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon - has condemned Israel's “repeated violations of Syrian infrastructure” and the seizure of Syrian land.
Qatar has also spoken out against Israel's actions, saying it is unacceptable for them to "exploit" the situation in Syria and violate its sovereignty.
Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon described the military actions as “limited and temporary”, and said they were necessary to address immediate security threats.
He added: “Israel does not intervene in the internal Syrian conflict.”
Meanwhile, there have been reports of Israeli tanks spotted “less than 20 miles” from Damascus after they entered Syria for the first time in 50 years.
After Syrian rebels ousted the tyrant President Assad, Israeli forces seized the Golan Heights region and other defensive positions.
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Israel's PM Netanyahu said the “temporary” action was “to ensure that no hostile force embeds itself right next to the border of Israel”.
And Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said the Israeli sweep was "to prevent an October 7 scenario".
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Why is Israel striking Syria?
By Patrick Harrington
ISRAEL has been launching airstrikes at targets across Syria since Sunday.
The strikes are concentrated in the west and south, near the capital Damascus.
Most of the strikes are to destroy weapons and ammunition that belonged to President Assad’s forces.
Israel says it must act quickly to destroy the military equipment to stop it “falling into the hands of extremists”.
Many of the strike sites have been air bases, but Israel also targeted a naval base and a scientific research centre linked with chemical weapons.
There are legitimate fears that the coup in Syria could lead to a resurgence in ISIS forces, according to a UK terrorism lawmaker.
Jonathan Hall KC warned Syrian jails are holding "some of the most dangerous Islamic State fighters" who, if released, "would no doubt form a kernel" for a new wave of ISIS.