Israeli strikes targeted military sites in Syria’s coastal Tartus region overnight, AFP quoted a war monitor as saying Monday, calling them “the heaviest strikes” there in years.

“Israeli warplanes launched strikes” targeting a series of sites including air defence units and “surface-to-surface missile depots”, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

It said 18 raids “targeted strategic locations on the Syrian coast”, added the Britain-based Observatory, which relies on a network of sources inside the country.

It called the raids “the heaviest strikes in Syria’s coastal region since the start of strikes in 2012”.

Tartus province also has a naval base belonging to Russia, a close ally of President Bashar al-Assad whom Islamist rebels ousted just over a week ago after capturing swathes of the country in a lightning offensive.

In the village of Bmalkah in the hills above Tartus, an AFP journalist saw roads filled with shattered glass and shreds of roller doors.

The force of blasts had stripped the leaves of olive trees in groves surrounding the village, and smoke still rose from nearby hillsides.

Residents told AFP that explosions began shortly after midnight and continued until almost 6:00 am (0300 GMT).

“It was like an earthquake. All the windows in my house were blown out,” said 28-year-old Ibrahim Ahmed, an employee in a legal office.

According to the Observatory, 473 Israeli strikes have targeted military sites in Syria since the rebel alliance toppled Assad on December 8. (AFP)