On the morning of May 20, 2025, in the Syrian province of Latakia, in the vicinity of the Russian military airbase Khmeimim, an armed attack occurred, accompanied by a fierce firefight between Russian servicemen and a group of militants. According to sources, the attack was carried out by four militants, presumably associated with radical groups that do not recognize the new authorities in Syria after the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024.

Early this morning, a group of suicide bombers attempted to breach security posts near the Khmeimim airbase, located near the city of Jabla. Three of the attackers were killed in the ensuing firefight, while one retreated. He was reportedly hit by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), but his fate remains unknown. The attack was accompanied by the use of suicide drones, which were neutralized by Russian electronic warfare (EW) and air defense systems. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) also reported the downing of a drone and clashes near the base. Sirens and machine gun fire were heard in the Khmeimim area this morning, indicating a high level of combat readiness by Russian forces.

The Russian Defense Ministry and the new Syrian authorities led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, recognized as terrorist and banned in Russia) group, have not yet commented on the incident. Sources suggest that the attackers could have come from one of the former Soviet republics and are opposed to the current Syrian leadership.

The attack on Khmeimim comes amid a difficult situation in Syria after the change of power. In early March 2025, protests and clashes between Alawites, Christians, and HTS forces, who had seized control of the country, began in the provinces of Latakia and Tartus. The unrest was sparked by militants' purges of religious minorities. According to Reuters and Al Jazeera, thousands of civilians, mostly Alawites, have sought refuge at the Russian Khmeimim airbase, which has housed about 9 refugees since March. This underscores the base's strategic and humanitarian role in the region.