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JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel has launched attacks in Syria since the accidental destruction of a Russian surveillance plane last month, a senior Israeli official said Monday.
The Syrian anti-aircraft fire on September 17, after Israeli jets attacked an Iranian cargo shipment to Syria, provoked a diplomatic break between Israel and Russia, and Moscow blamed the incident on Israel.
The Israeli official did not specify the nature of the acts committed by Israel since the destruction of the IL-20 near Latakia, which had killed 15 people, nor the number of times it had been attacked.
"The IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) attacked Syria, especially after the fall of the Russian aircraft. The military coordination with the Russians continues as before, "said the senior official, who could not be named.
Israeli television channel Channel 1 said an airstrike targeted an Iranian expedition to Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas to significantly increase the accuracy of their rockets and missiles.
Israel, which has carried out air strikes in Syria several times during Syria's seven-and-a-half-year-old civil war, said that after the September 17 incident, it would work for "deconfliction". clearer of his missions with the Russian forces, but would not stop them.
But since the Russian plane was shot down shortly after Israeli jets attacked a nearby target, no Israeli air strikes in Syria have been reported.
This apparent pause suggested in the Israeli media that Israel was holding back either at the request of Russia, or had suspended its attacks, fearing to fuel new tensions with Moscow.
Netanyahu said earlier this month that he will meet "soon" Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss security cooperation. Russia said it reinforced Syrian anti-aircraft defenses with the S-300 missile system after accusing Israel of indirect responsibility in the incident.
Written by Ori Lewis, edited by Mark Heinrich / William Maclean
