Israel to continue Syria strikes despite S-300 delivery: Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, told a top Russian diplomat that Israel will continue to launch airstrikes against 'hostile targets' inside Syria in spite that the Syrian Army has recently received S-300 missile system.

Speaking at a press conference held in Jerusalem with Maxim Akimov on Tuesday, Netanyahu reiterated his state's right to fight what he called 'Iranian attempts to entrench itself militarily in Syria and channel advanced weaponry to its Lebanese ally, the Hezbollah terror group".

"Despite the delivery of the S-300 air defense systems to the Syrian military, Israel was committed as a matter of self-defense to continue its “legitimate activity in Syria against Iran and its proxies, which state their intention to destroy us,” Netanyahu said.

Tensions between Russia and Israel have escalated since the downing of IL-20 plane on September 18 where Israeli warplanes were held responsible for the tragic incident.

In the wake of the incident, Russia decided to supply the Syrian Army with the advanced S-300 air defense missile systems in order to boost its defensive capability and protect the Russian forces in Syria.