Varying tectonic control on basin development at an active microplate margin: Latakia Basin, Eastern Mediterranean

Our data demonstrate that a fundamental change in kinematic regime occurred during the Messinian to early Pliocene involving the onset of strike-slip movements resulting in transtension along the northeast-trending portion of the main lineaments bounding the Latakia Basin and continued contraction across the east-trending portion of the lineaments. In the northeastern portion of the Latakia Basin southeast-directed thrusting ceased in the early Messinian and was followed in the lower Pliocene by the development of horst and grabzen structures, bounded by faults linking onland with the strands of the East Anatolian Transform Fault.