YouTube screenshot of a strike in Syria earlier in 2013.

Syrian officials Sunday said that Israel was not involved in a blast that destroyed an arms depot in Latakia over the weekend, instead pointing the finger at Al-Qaeda terrorists.

“The attack in Latakia was not carried out from the air or the sea, but by a terrorist group aligned with al-Qaida,” a senior Syrian official told Syrian state media. “The group fired missiles of European design that caused large fires in the bases.”

Following the incident, conflicting reports emerged as to how the attack was carried out, with some media outlets claiming foreign aircraft had bombed the site and others that it was destroyed by missiles fired from boats.

Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah’s TV station Al-Manar also denied that Israel was responsible for the attack, placing the blame on Syrian rebels.

For its part, the Israel Defense Force declined to comment on the incident.

Latakia is seen as a safe haven for the Alawite minority in Syria, to which Syrian President Bashar Assad belongs. The Assad family has a palace in the city.