A Pantsir-S1 short range air-defense system deployed in the Russian Khmeimim Air Base has successfully intercepted 3 Grad rockets over the city of Jableh, according to local sources.
Two eyewitnesses in the Jableh countryside have reported seeing three waves of shells fired from Pantsir-S1 batteries from the Khmeimim Air Base area. The shells hit their targets causing three huge explosions in the sky heard clearly even in the city of Lattakia.
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The local Facebook news page also reported the incident, confirming info obtained by SouthFront from the eyewitnesses.
It’s believed that this rocket attack was carried by the US-Backed Jaish al-Izza militant group. The group is now supporting the anti-government advance led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda) in the northern countryside of Hama. Jaish al-Izza owns and actively uses Grad rockets as many videos on the group’s official Youtube channel show.
UPD (22:04 CET): Pro-HTS sources confirmed that “opposition forces” had launched Grad rockets and claimed that they had targeted the Khmeimim Air Base.
It’s important to note that this was the second time when Khmeimim Air Base and Jableh city were targeted by Grade rockets launched from the Idlib western countryside since the beginning of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham-led militant operation in northen Hama on March 21.
The first incident took place during the first day of the militant advance. Then, a Russian Pantsir-S1 system reportedly intercepted one Grad rocket.
These incidents were another confirmation of the effectiveness of Pantsir-S1 short-range air defense system deployed in Syria.
Jaish al-Izza uses Grad rockets (old videos):
