On Wednesday, Russia urged Israel to refrain from launching airstrikes near a Russian military base in Syria, amidst growing concerns over the safety of Russian personnel. Alexander Lavrentiev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy to the Middle East, confirmed this stance during a statement to the RIA Novosti news agency. The appeal comes in the wake of Israeli airstrikes near Hmeimim, a key Russian airbase in the coastal region of Syria.
The Latakia Strike and its Proximity to Russian Interests
In mid-October, Syrian state media reported that Israel had conducted an airstrike on Latakia, a port city that serves as a stronghold for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a key ally of Russia. Latakia’s airport is located just a short distance from Hmeimim, which hosts a significant Russian airbase. Lavrentiev emphasized the potential danger to Russian forces from such airstrikes, calling the incident “unacceptable.” He further stated that Russian military officials had informed Israel about the risks posed to their personnel by these actions.
Israel’s Military Campaign Against Hezbollah
Israel has been involved in an ongoing military campaign in Syria, with a primary focus on targeting Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, which Israel accuses of using Syria as a corridor for weapons transfers. Despite frequent bombings across Syria, Israel has typically avoided strikes on Latakia, a city that has largely remained out of the scope of Israeli air raids.
Russia’s Stance on Weapons Supply to Hezbollah
Lavrentiev was quick to address concerns over Russia’s involvement with Hezbollah, stressing that Russia’s airbase in Hmeimim is not being used to facilitate weapons transfers to the militant group. He reiterated Russia’s position that the safety of Russian military personnel in Syria is a top priority, and such incidents of airstrikes near sensitive military sites must be avoided moving forward.
