Russia summons Israeli envoy after Syrian airbase attack

Jerusalem: Russia summoned the Israeli Ambassador to Moscow on Tuesday, a day after the Kremlin condemned the alleged Israeli attack on a Syrian airbase, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said.

The Ministry confirmed in a statement that Israel’s Ambassador Gary Koren was summoned for a conversation with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Ministry played down the move, saying that “routine talks with the Russians were being held regularly”.

Earlier on Monday, Russia’s military said that two Israeli F-15 fighter jets struck the T-4 military airbase in Homs, Syria. The attack killed at least 14 people.

Israel did not officially comment on the attack. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened that they will “attack whoever threatened it”.

Israel and Russia have held routine coordination talks since Moscow started to send forces to fight along Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s Army in the war-torn country.

–IANS