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Russia asks Israel to avoid air strikes near Syrian base

A top official said that Russia's air base was not being used to supply Hezbollah with weapons

Published: Wed 13 Nov 2024, 1:00 PM

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  • AFP

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Security and emergency personnel deploy around a building destroyed in a reported Israeli strike in Damascus on January 20, 2024. Image used for illustrative purpose. Photo: File

Security and emergency personnel deploy around a building destroyed in a reported Israeli strike in Damascus on January 20, 2024. Image used for illustrative purpose. Photo: File

Russia has asked Israel to avoid launching aerial strikes as part of its war against Lebanon's Hezbollah near one of Moscow's bases in Syria, a top official said Wednesday.

Syrian state media in mid-October claimed that Israel had struck the port city of Latakia, a stronghold of President Bashar al-Assad, who is supported by Russia and in turn backs Hezbollah.

Latakia, and in particular its airport, is close to the town of Hmeimim that hosts a Russian air base.

"Israel actually carried out an air strike in the immediate vicinity of Hmeimim," Alexander Lavrentiev, Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy in the Near East, told the RIA Novosti press agency.

"Our military has of course notified Israeli authorities that such acts that put Russian military lives in danger over there are unacceptable," he added. "That is why we hope that this incident in October will not be repeated."

Israel has carried out intensive bombing of Syria but rarely targets Latakia, to the northwest of Damascus. Israel accuses Hezbollah of transporting weapons through Syria.

The two warring parties have been in open conflict since September after Israel's year-long Gaza war escalated to a new front.

Lavrentiev said that Russia's air base was not being used to supply Hezbollah with weapons.

Israel stepped up strikes on Syria at the same time as targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes on Syrian government forces and groups. Israel rarely comments on its strikes but has said it will not allow Iran to extend its presence to Syria.

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