Israel PM visits Russia for talks on Iran’s actions in Syria
MOSCOW — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Russia on Monday for talks focused on Syria, warning that Israel will not accept Iran’s growing military presence there and in neighbouring Lebanon.
Before departure for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Netanyahu said that Iran is trying to turn Lebanon into “one giant missile site, a site for precision missiles against the state of Israel, which we will not tolerate.”
The Israeli leader also pointed at what he described as “Iran’s relentless efforts to establish a military presence in Syria, which we strongly oppose and are also taking action against.”
Russia and Iran have joined forces to back President Bashar Assad throughout the Syrian conflict. Russia has waged a military campaign in Syria since September 2015, helping Assad’s forces score a series of victories and win back key ground.