I-24 NEWS – Recent declarations by Russia that it could soon deploy game-changing air defense capabilities to Syria has sparked speculation as to whether such a move would jeopardize Israel’s ability to take action against the proliferation of Iranian forces and Tehran-backed proxies on its northern borders.
While Israel’s Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben-Dahan said deployment to Syria of advanced Russian anti-aircraft systems such as the S-300 would be a “mistake”, Israel “will find its solutions” and continue to enforce its “red lines” when it comes to Iran.
“We have made clear to the Russians that we think that would be a wrong decision,” Ben Dahan told i24NEWS in an interview last week. “It would create an unhealthy reality in the region.”
“In my opinion it is a mistake but if it happens the State of Israel will find its solutions.”
Russia’s defense ministry said last week that it plans to deliver new defense systems to Syria in the near future, where Moscow is propping up embattled forces loyal to President Bashar Al-Assad.
Moscow has not explicitly indicated which systems it would send to Damascus, but has hinted that it could deploy the S-300. Such a move would mark a major change in Syria’s defense capabilities and would make Israeli jets far more vulnerable in any future operations it undertakes in the country.
Russia had previously agreed with Western powers not to deploy the S-300 to Syrian bases, but threatened to backtrack on the agreement following joint US-Britain-France airstrikes on Syrian military sites on April 14 and an earlier strike on the Iran-operated T4 airbase in Syria on April 9, which was widely attributed to Israel.
While Iran has repeatedly threatened retaliation for the strike, which killed seven of its countrymen, Beh Dahan says that according to his assessment the chances of that are decreasing along with the overall threat of war on Israel’s northern border.
Moscow has not explicitly indicated which systems it would send to Damascus, but has hinted that it could deploy the S-300. Such a move would mark a major change in Syria’s defense capabilities and would make Israeli jets far more vulnerable in any future operations it undertakes in the country.
Russia had previously agreed with Western powers not to deploy the S-300 to Syrian bases, but threatened to backtrack on the agreement following joint US-Britain-France airstrikes on Syrian military sites on April 14 and an earlier strike on the Iran-operated T4 airbase in Syria on April 9, which was widely attributed to Israel.
While Iran has repeatedly threatened retaliation for the strike, which killed seven of its countrymen, Beh Dahan says that according to his assessment the chances of that are decreasing along with the overall threat of war on Israel’s northern border.
” …. if it happens the State of Israel will find its solutions.”
Well maybe, but I guarantee that those solutions will not consist of Fighter Planes, Missiles or Drones.