Rear Admiral Oleg Zhuravlev, who serves as deputy head of Russia’s Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Parties in Syria, spoke on Friday, May 13, about Israeli air activity aimed at Syria. He stated that Israeli F-16 aircraft attacked the Syrian science center near Masyaf and the nearby port of Banias. According to his account, the attack involved missiles that the Syrian air defense forces later reported as destroyed, with the loss of several missiles and some of the incoming projectiles unable to reach their targets.
In Zhuravlev’s timeline, the strike occurred between 20:25 and 20:32 local time on May 13. He said six F-16 warplanes from the Israeli Air Force conducted the operation near the city of Masyaf, and they did so without entering Syrian airspace. The weapons were directed at the facilities used by the Syrian Research Center and the adjacent sea port, according to the detailed description provided by the Russian side and carried by news agencies.
The mission air defense forces of the Syrian Arab Republic reportedly responded to the threat and succeeded in destroying a portion of the incoming missiles. Zhuravlev noted that 16 missiles were neutralized, and one unmanned aerial vehicle in the air was also downed as part of the defense response. The figures reflect assessments shared by the Russian side as part of their ongoing communications about the incident.
The incident reportedly resulted in casualties among those present at the two sites targeted by the airstrikes. Zhuravlev indicated that three Syrian military personnel and two civilian employees were killed. He added that two Syrian soldiers sustained injuries during the attack, and equipment storage facilities at the Syrian Research Center suffered damage as a consequence of the bombardment. The description underscored the broader impact on infrastructure tied to scientific and research activities in the region.
Earlier, the Syrian Ministry of Defense issued a statement about a separate missile attack by the Israeli Air Force, this time directed at Hama province in the northwest of Syria. The Syrian authorities described that strike as having been repelled by Syria’s air defense forces, underscoring a continuous pattern of aerial exchanges in the area. The reports from Damascus and Moscow reflect a persistent, multi-faceted security dynamic in northwest Syria, with events monitored by regional observers and international observers alike. The information from these official channels remains disputed by other actors in the region and continues to shape the broader narrative surrounding air defense and urban security in Syria. The accounts provided by the involved parties were carried by various news agencies and press offices, and they are cited here as part of an ongoing documentation of the events as they unfolded on May 13. DEA News is among the agencies that reported on the developments.