BICOM

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met yesterday with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Following Russia’s recent deployment in Syria, the two leaders agreed a degree of coordination over military action in the region.

Last week, Putin confirmed Israeli and American assessments that Russia is increasing its military presence in Syria in support of the Assad regime. Although Moscow has been a staunch supporter of President Assad since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War, in recent weeks Russian battle tanks have been sent to Syria and the Financial Times this morning suggests that up to 2,000 Russian servicemen could staff an air base at Latakia. The Telegraph says that 28 Russian planes have already touched down there.

In light of the build-up, Netanyahu said that he discussed the “increasingly complicated situation” on Israel’s northern border with Putin. Accompanied by the IDF Chief of Staff and Head of Military Intelligence, Netanyahu told Putin that “Iran and Syria are arming the radical Islamic terrorist organisation Hezbollah with advanced weaponry that is directed at us, and has already been fired at us” and that Iran through the Syrian army is attempting to “build a second terrorist front against us from the Golan Heights.” Putin assured Netanyahu that “Syria in general is in such a state that it isn’t up to opening a second front” and that Russia “always will be very responsible” in its Middle East engagement.

Importantly, the two leaders and their chiefs of staff who also met yesterday, agreed that a mechanism would be established which Netanyahu said would “avoid any misunderstandings between our forces” in the future. It is thought that Israel has carried out a number of air raids over Syria since the four-year civil war began, in order to prevent arms transfers to Hezbollah in neighbouring Lebanon. According to the Jerusalem Post, the first planning meeting will be in two weeks time and will “coordinate air, naval, and the electromagnetic arenas,” according to a source.