“…The main rifting phase related to the formation of the Levant margin occurred from latest Triassic to early Middle Jurassic time (Gardosh et al, 2010;Gardosh & Druckman, 2006;Garfunkel, 1998Garfunkel, , 2004. The architecture of the Levant and Egyptian margins and the orientation of the Eratosthenes seamount (approximately NE-SW, Figure 1) and transform faults ( Figure 1; Montadert et al, 2014;Tassy et al, 2015) support a NW-SE direction of extension (e.g., Barrier et al, 2008;Chamot-Rooke, Rangin, et al, 2005;Frizon de Lamotte et al, 2011;Gardosh et al, 2010;Gardosh & Druckman, 2006;Garfunkel, 1998Garfunkel, , 2004Garfunkel & Derin, 1984;Tari et al, 2012). Evidence for rifting over the same period is also reported in Libya (Arsenikos et al, 2013), Tunisia , and Sicily (Basilone et al, 2010;Basilone, Sulli et al, 2016).…”