Israel vows to destroy Russian s-300 missiles in Syria if warplanes are targeted

An S-300 air defense missile system launches a missile during the Keys to the Sky competition at the International Army Games 2017 at the Ashuluk shooting range outside Astrakhan, August 5, 2017. (Photo by Reuters)

Israel's minister of military affairs says it will destroy  Russian S-300 air defense systems in Syria if they down Tel Aviv regime planes over the war-torn nation.

"What's important is that defense systems being supplied by Russia to Syria aren't used against us," said Avigdor Liberman during interview with the Ynet news site on Tuesday.

"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.

He added that relations with Russia were still good and that coordination between Tel Aviv and Moscow would continue.

"They understand that we won't get involved in internal Syrian matters and that we won't allow Iran to entrench itself [in Syria]," he added.

On Monday, Russia's Kommersant business daily reported that Moscow might start supplying S-300 long-range surface-to-air missile systems to Syria on a free-of-charge basis in the near future and within the framework of military assistance to the Arab country.

A file photo of Russian S-300 missiles

Citing unnamed diplomatic and military sources, the paper said the issue of Russia's supplies of the advanced air defense systems "has practically been resolved."

After the report was published Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that his country has not yet decided to supply advanced S-300 missile defense systems to Syria, adding that the issue will be made public if Moscow makes such a decision.  

Lavrov said on Friday that the latest US missile strikes against Syria had removed any moral obligation for Russia not to deliver advanced S-300 missile defense systems to the Arab country.

On April 14, the US, France and the United Kingdom carried out a missile attack on a number of targets in Syria in response to a suspected chemical attack in the town of Douma that reportedly took place on April 7. Syria has rejected any role in the alleged attack.