Russia summons Israeli envoy over Syria strike

Russia expressed concern over Israeli mission to destroy a Syrian weapons convoy for Hezbollah

Russia’s foreign ministry says the Israeli ambassador to Moscow was summoned to explain an exchange of fire last week between Israeli jets and Syrian government forces.

Russia is a top ally of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad and has provided key military and political backing to his forces, allowing him to turn the tide of the conflict.

Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov says Russia “expressed concern” over the exchange in which Syria fired missiles at Israeli warplanes that were on a mission to destroy a weapons convoy destined for Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group.

Yesterday’s report in Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency quotes Bogdanov as saying that Israeli Ambassador Gary Koren “was asked about this” incident.

Russia — which is conducting its own bombing campaign in Syria in support of President Bashar Al Assad — said earlier this month that more than 180 of its troops have started demining around Palmyra’s ancient monuments.

Russia and Israel have set up a “hotline” aimed at avoiding air clashes over Syria and Bogdanov said Moscow “would like this channel to work more effectively” to ensure no “misunderstanding on who is doing what.”

Israeli warplanes struck several targets on Friday, prompting retaliatory Syrian missile launches, in the most serious incident between the two countries since the war began six years ago.

Israel’s military said it had been targeting weapons bound for Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement, which backs Al Assad in Syria.