Syria gets Russian defence missiles

The Syrian president has that Damascus received the first shipment of Russian air defence missiles, according to Lebanon’s Hezbollah-owned TV station.

Bashar al-Assad’s comment on the arrival of the long-range S-300 air defence missiles in Syria will further ratchet up tensions in the region and undermine efforts to hold UN-sponsored talks with Syria’s warring sides.

Israel’s defence chief, Moshe Yaalon, said earlier this week Russia’s plan to supply Syria with the weapons is a threat and that Israel was prepared to use force to stop the delivery.

The al-Manar TV, owned by the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group, released Assad’s comment on the Russian missiles through its breaking news service to clients on Thursday morning.

On Monday, the European Union lifted an arms embargo on Syria, paving way for individual countries of the 27-member bloc to send weapons to rebels fighting to topple Assad’s regime. The move raised fears of an arms race in the West Asia.

Israel has carried out several airstrikes in Syria in recent months that are believed to have destroyed weapons shipments bound for Hezbollah.

First Published: May 31, 2013 01:16 IST