DAMASCUS (AFP) - Syrian forces raked Latakia with machinegun fire Tuesday and pressed a crackdown in the port city that has already killed dozens and sent Palestinian refugees fleeing, activists and residents said. "The heavy machinegun fire and bullets were intense in areas of Latakia, Ramel, Masbah al-Shaab and Ain Tamra for more than three hours," said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. It also quoted residents as saying they saw 20 military vehicles and troop carriers gathering on Al-Thawra street, north of Latakia's city centre, in what could be the prelude to a new operation. Around 120 soldiers also raided the Sqanturi area and made dozens of arrests, while security forces pursued operations in other districts. Since Sunday, 30 civilians have been killed in Latakia in an offensive that according to rights activists saw the use of gunboats by Syrian security forces for the first time since the start of pro-democracy revolts in mid-March. The Syrian official news agency SANA has denied any maritime operation and on Tuesday quoted a military official saying security forces were "hunting armed men" in Latakia districts "who opened fire on residents." The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees reported that more than half of the 10,000 refugees of Ramel camp in southern Latakia had fled under Syrian fire. The military assault on Latakia has drawn sharp Arab and international condemnation. British Foreign Secretary William Hague slammed the embattled Syrian leader on Tuesday saying President Bashar al-Assad is "fast losing the last shreds of his legitimacy" and must stop the violence "immediately."