Israeli strikes used 28 planes, 70 missiles: Russia
Israel’s strikes on Syria saw 28 planes take part in raids with a total of around 70 missiles fired, the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on 10 May.
The MoD said in a statement: ‘28 Israeli F-15 and F-16 aircraft were used in the attack, which released around 60 air-to-ground missiles over various parts of Syria. Israel also fired more than 10 tactical ground-to-ground missiles.’
Russia said Syria’s air defence systems shot down more than half of the missiles, while the extent of the damage was still being assessed.
The MoD said: ‘The locations of Iranian armed groups and also the positions of the Syrian army’s air defences in the area around Damascus and in the south of Syria were attacked.’
Israel carried out the raids after it said around 20 rockets were fired from Syria at its forces in the occupied Golan Heights overnight.
It blamed the rocket fire on Iran’s Al-Quds force, adding that Israel’s anti-missile system intercepted four of the projectiles while the rest did not land in its territory.
On 10 May Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov called for ‘restraint on all sides’, adding that Moscow was ‘concerned’ at the development.
The strikes came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country has provided massive military and diplomatic backing to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria’s seven-year civil war.
At the meeting Putin also expressed ‘deep concern’ over US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from a key 2015 Iran nuclear deal on 8 May, a decision Netanyahu supported.
On 9 May the Russian leader called the situation in the Middle East ‘unfortunately very acute.’
Netanyahu had told Putin that ‘it is the right of every state, certainly the right of Israel, to take the necessary steps in order to protect itself from (Iranian) aggression),’ his office said in a statement on 9 May, referring to Iran’s presence in Syria.
More from Defence Notes
-
![US speeds up B61-13 nuclear bomb production as programme moves further ahead of schedule]()
US speeds up B61-13 nuclear bomb production as programme moves further ahead of schedule
The US government plans to accelerate production even further after achieving key B61-13 milestones months ahead of schedule, as the programme advances amid growing US-China strategic competition.
-
![Canada’s C$2 billion ACSV deal reinforces new defence industrial strategy as allies align]()
Canada’s C$2 billion ACSV deal reinforces new defence industrial strategy as allies align
General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada is the country’s first strategic partner under the Defence Industrial Strategy’s Strategic Partnership Framework, an effort to provide companies with confidence to invest and boost the defence labour force.
-
![New UK armed forces minister frames High North defence as vital to “homeland security”]()
New UK armed forces minister frames High North defence as vital to “homeland security”
The UK’s Minister for the Armed Forces Louise Sandher-Jones made her first appearance in the role before the House of Commons Defence Committee this week to highlight efforts to improve capability in the High North.
-
![Canada seeks to strengthen industrial ties with the US on classified programmes]()
Canada seeks to strengthen industrial ties with the US on classified programmes
Ottawa explores expanding defence-industrial cooperation with Washington into sensitive programmes, an approach that could reshape NORAD modernisation, strengthen North American supply chains and create new opportunities for defence contractors.
