Russia Steps Up Rhetoric In Response to Israeli Raids in Syria

Arab World

July 24th, 7:05am

Moscow - Raed Jabr

Missile fire is seen from Damascus, Syria (File photo: Reuters)

The Russian Defense Ministry issued statements on the recent Israeli raids on Syria, which carried unprecedented indications of a change in Moscow's response to the "continuous attacks on Syrian sovereignty." The Ministry, which never previously commented on Israeli raids, issued two separate statements over the past few days after Israel targeted a research center in Aleppo and a site for Iranian forces in al-Qusayr. The statements addressed the success of the Syrian air defenses in confronting the two attacks and the missiles. The deputy head of the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria, Vadim Kolet, said that two Israeli F-16 fighters launched from Lebanese airspace four guided missiles directed at sites in Homs Governorate. All the missiles were destroyed by systems of the Syrian Air Defense Forces, he announced. The Russian Center for Reconciliation announced that the Syrian air defenses had shot down 7 of the 8 missiles during the Israeli raid on July 19th. A well-informed Russian source told Asharq Al-Awsat that this is directly related to the talks launched with the United States following the first summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden last month. Moscow received a confirmation that Washington does not welcome the continuous Israeli raids, according to the source. He also explained that the rhetoric was escalated against any Israeli military action targeting Syria's sovereignty, and in violation of international resolutions. The fact that all the launched missiles were destroyed indicates a fundamental change in handling this issue, he believes. The source added that Israel's air force has not entered the Syrian airspace and carries out its attacks from neighboring lands, but the attacks are no longer effective because the Syrian anti-aircraft systems have been enhanced, and Moscow provided Damascus with air defense equipment. The recent developments reflect a shift in how Moscow addresses the Israeli attacks and indicate that Moscow has "run out of patience" because Tel Aviv continues to ignore Russian calls to set clear rules. The Russian source believes there are political developments and opening channels of dialogue with the US removed a significant obstacle, noting that lack of communication had previously complicated the matters with Washington. Meanwhile, the Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli attacks, which targeted some areas in the al-Qusayr region in central Syria. The Ministry affirmed that the repeated Israeli attacks on Syrian lands, which coincided with terrorist attacks on the countryside of Aleppo, come in the implementation of continued geopolitical conspiracy strategies against Syria. "Syria will not hesitate to exercise its right in defending territorial integrity and sovereignty." The statement concluded by saying that Syria is a founding member of the UN and believes in the role of international legitimacy. It demands the Security Council to assume its responsibilities in the framework of the UN Charter, most importantly is the maintenance of international peace and security. Syria calls on the UN to hold all parties that support terrorism and launch attacks on its sovereignty accountable for their terrorism and crimes against its people, all of which form flagrant violations of the Charter of the UN and the provisions of international law and Security Council resolutions.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3095376/russia-steps-rhetoric-response-israeli-raids-syria