Israel wary of Russian military build-up in Syria

HERZLIYA, Israel (Reuters) – Indications of increased Russian involvement in Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad are prompting a reassessment in Israel about how to handle fall-out from the conflict without risking a clash with Moscow.

 

Since the Syrian civil war began in 2011, Israel has occasionally fired across the Golan Heights in response to spillover shelling or bombed advanced arms it suspected were to be transferred to Assad’s Lebanese guerrilla allies, Hezbollah.

 

U.S. and regional reports that Moscow’s diplomatic and logistical support for Assad is shifting into major military backing has raised the prospect of Israel and Russia accidentally coming to blows.

 

“There could be ramifications for us, certainly,” Ram Ben-Barak, director-general of Israel’s Intelligence Ministry, told Reuters when asked if Russian intervention in Syria might necessitate new Israeli rules of engagement.

 

He was speaking at a security conference organized by the Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center, where Russian policy in Syria was described both as an effort to shore up Assad and mobilize with other world powers in suppressing Islamic State insurgents.

 

“We have been informed that the Russians are entering into active intervention, the Americans are attacking … The West and now, in fact, the Russians and the whole world are trying to unite against them (Islamic State),” Amos Gilad, senior adviser to Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, said in a speech.

 

Read More: Israel wary of Russian military build-up in Syria – Yahoo News