The Israeli Defense Ministry revealed on Tuesday (26) that Russian anti-aircraft systems installed in Syria fired missiles at its fighter jets. The incident took place in May but has only been confirmed now.
The information comes amid tensions between Moscow and Jerusalem over Israel's criticism of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has lasted five months and no prospect of an end, and Russian scrutiny of the Jewish Emigration Agency. , points to Reuters.
Benny Gantz, Israeli Defense Minister, confirmed the event initially revealed by Israeli Channel 13, described by him as a “unique incident”. On May 13, a battery from the S-300 anti-aircraft system, operated by Russian military personnel in Syria, opened fire on Israeli Air Force (IAF) fighter jets as they flew over the country. No missile hit its target.
“It was a unique incident”, Gantz told a conference hosted by Channel 13 when asked to confirm the report. The Russian launch took place when the aircraft “were no longer around”, he said.
The S-300 is a long-range anti-aircraft missile system. Dubbed the SA-10 Grumble by NATO, it was developed in the 1970s in the former Soviet Union, remaining a serious threat to this day thanks to numerous upgrades.
Israel's coordination with Russia on Syria is “a stable situation now I think”, said Gantz. "But we're always revisiting this story as if we've only just begun."
