As a result of the battle all Ottoman naval forces in the region were annihilated, thus ensuring the approaches to the Suez Canal were open to the Italians.

[2] In contrast the Ottoman forces consisted of the casemate corvette Avnillah and the torpedo boat Angora.

The two Italian cruisers approached the harbour and fired a blank shot at the Ottoman vessels lying there.

[1] Upon sighting the Italian ships, the Ottoman commander on Avnillah sent out a launch under a flag of truce to communicate with the enemy.

At 07:30, Admiral Revel ordered the Ottoman launch to return with an ultimatum addressed to the Wāli of Beirut informing him to surrender his two warships by 09:00.

Receiving heavy damage and outgunned, the corvette struck her colours and the crew abandoned ship.

At this point Garibaldi sailed in close and engaged Angora at 600 metres (660 yards) with gunfire but failed to damage it.

However, the torpedo deviated from its trajectory and hit several lighters moored nearby, sinking six of them.

Fires broke out as a direct result of the stray gunfire, destroying several banks and part of the city's customs house as well as other buildings.