Thursday , 28 March 2024

Russia Reportedly Prevented Israeli Attack on Iran’s Missile Factories in Lebanon

RFL/RE – According to the London-based daily Asharq al-Awsat, Russia has prevented “an inevitable Israeli attack” on what the daily characterizes as “Iran’s missile factories in Lebanon and Syria.”


The daily quotes “informed sources” as saying that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had complained about “the continuous supply of arms to Hezbollah” by Iran in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month.

According to the daily, Netanyahu “hinted about Israel’s decision to attack Iranian arms factories and Hezbollah positions in Syria and Lebanon.”

Asharq al-Awsat’s sources told the daily that a Russian delegation led by National Security Council Nikolai Patrushev was assigned to visit Jerusalem “to carefully study the Israeli fears about Hezbollah and Iran in Syria, particularly after Tehran rejected Moscow’s request to pull out its forces from south Syria.”

Patrushev held talks in Jerusalem on Thursday, February 1 with Netanyahu and the secretary to the Israeli National Security Council Meir Ben Shebat.

The meeting in Jerusalem took place only three days after Netanyahu had paid a visit to the Russian capital city and met with Putin.

Meanwhile, Barak Ravid, a senior correspondent for the Israeli Channel 10 TV, tweeted on 29 January that: “Netanyahu told Putin Israel would act militarily if the international community won’t act to stop Iranian entrenchment in Syria & the building of precision missile factories in Lebanon.”

Israel and Russia have not reacted to Asharq al-Awsat’s report.

However last week, an Israeli army spokesman warned Lebanese that “Iran is turning Lebanon into a missile factory,” and that “It is no longer just transfer of weapons, money and advice. Iran has de facto opened a new branch —the Lebanon Branch,” The Times of Israel reported on 29 January. (https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-warns-lebanese-that-iran-is-turning-their-country-into-a-missile-factory/)

Russia got involved in the Syrian civil war in 2015, working with Iran and Hezbollah to prevent the downfall of Basahr al-Assad.

Numerous attacks on Hezbollah positions have been attributed to Israeli forces and Israel has acknowledged some of them.

Syria has recently warned that it forces might bomb Ben Gurion Airport in Israel if attacks on Hezbollah positions continue.

Israel has said that Tel Aviv is aware of the warning.

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