Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman warned on Tuesday that his country may strike the Russian-made S-300 anti-aircraft defense systems in Syria if they are used against Israeli jets.
“What’s important is that defense systems being supplied by Russia to Syria aren’t used against us,” Liberman said.
“One thing needs to be clear: If someone shoots at our planes, we will destroy them. It doesn’t matter if it’s an S-300 or an S-700,” he added.
The defense minister noted that Russia already has its own S-300 air defense system in Syria, along with the more advanced S-400 system, and that “hasn’t limited our operations.”
Lieberman said that the S-300 are already being operated on Syrian soil, though they are only being used by the Russians and not being employed against Israel.
He added that Israel will not allow an Iranian foothold in Syria, saying that this is the principle guiding Israel.
Israel is focusing on ensuring that “Iran does not bring in a flood of advanced weapons systems aimed at Israel,” he stressed.
Lieberman's comments came a day after senior Russian officials told the Kommersant newspaper that Russia was expected to provide the Bashar Assad regime with S-300 anti-aircraft defense systems soon.
If Israel attacks the new air defense systems, then it will suffer “catastrophic consequences,” the officials said.
The S-300 PMU-2 “Favorite” version of the anti-aircraft systems will be provided to the Syrians for free and very soon, the Kommersant reported.
On the other hand, head of the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM), which is responsible for US activities in the Middle East, arrived in Israel to meet with senior Israeli officials for talks expected to focus on Syria and Iran.
Despite this being the first trip to Israel by Gen. Joseph Votel, the visit has been without fanfare or publicity.
During his visit, Votel is met with Israeli military Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat and other senior defense officials.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, for his part, reiterated his country’s position that it will never allow archenemy Iran to acquire nuclear weapons as US President Donald Trump’s deadline for further Iranian concessions edged closer.
“Israel’s policy has not changed since Begin. Israel will not allow regimes that seek our annihilation to acquire nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu told an audience of diplomats in a speech west Jerusalem.
He pointed out on the so-called Begin Doctrine, which calls on the Jewish state to destroy any enemy country’s nuclear capabilities.
The doctrine was named after then Prime Minister Menachem Begin, who set its precedent by ordering the bombing of Iraq’s nascent nuclear reactor in 1981.
“This is why we opposed so resolutely the Iran deal, because it gives Iran a clear path to a nuclear arsenal,” Netanyahu said.
“It allows, over a few years, unlimited enrichment of uranium, the core ingredient required to produce nuclear bombs — and nothing else — and it also does not deal with the ballistic missiles that can deliver this weapon to many, many countries. This is why this deal has to be either fully fixed or fully nixed,” Netanyahu stressed.
