Russia firing missiles

BEIRUT — Russian warships have fired more than 20 missiles at militants in Syria, a Russian official said Wednesday, marking an escalation in Moscow’s air campaign, which the U.S. says is attempting to prop up Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government.

The naval strikes come amid reports of Russian jets providing cover for Syrian troops advancing against rebel positions.

Four Russian warships based in the Caspian Sea fired at least 26 missiles at positions of the Islamic State militant group in Syria, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in Moscow. The missiles flew almost 1,000 miles before striking their targets, he said.

Their trajectory probably took the missiles over the airspace of Iran and Iraq, two nations whose leaders have been supportive of the Russian campaign in Syria.

The areas hit were not immediately specified.

The missiles were identified by Russian news media as the new Kalibr-NK, a precision-guided weapon that, like U.S.-made Tomahawks, allows ships to safely deliver strikes from a long distance.

Moscow began the air campaign on Sept. 30 in conjunction with the Syrian military, targeting positions of what Russia calls terrorists, including Islamic State, the extremist group that the U.S.-led coalition has been bombing for more than a year.

Russian airstrikes have concentrated on securing government-held strongholds in western, northern and central Syria. The pattern suggests an effort to secure approaches to the major cities of Damascus, Homs and Hama, and to shore up the pro-government bastion of western Latakia province, along the Mediterranean coast.

The Russians have been using a refurbished air base in Latakia for their air operations and have a naval base in the city of Tartus.