Russia has reportedly placed its advanced S-400 air defense system near Iranian weapons factories in Syria. The factories purportedly produce long-range guided missiles for the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah to use against Israel.
The report of the S-400’s protection of Iranian weapons factories comes three days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the issue of Iran’s “military entrenchment” in Syria and Lebanon with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during the U.N. leader’s visit to Israel.
Netanyahu met last week with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in the Russian resort town of Sochi, discussing how Iran’s “accelerated” presence in Syria threatens Israel and the Middle East. Yossi Cohen, head of the Mossad intelligence agency, reportedly presented Putin with “sensitive, credible and very disturbing detailed intelligence” of Iran’s expanding military presence in Syria.
Since becoming actively involved in the Syrian Civil War in 2015, Russia has worked closely with Iran in support of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Israel, meanwhile, has allegedly conducted several missile strikes targeting Iranian-sponsored weapons convoys heading to Hezbollah.
