Moscow condemned Israel on Monday for the bombing of a Syrian government base, denying the apparent chemical weapons attack that prompted the attack.
In a pre-dawn strike, a pair of Israeli fighter jets flew over Lebanon before crossing over into Syrian airspace, Russian sources claimed Monday.
The two Israeli Air Force jets struck targets at Syria’s T-4 airbase, killing 14 people according to the Syrian “Observatory for Human Rights.” Initial reports indicated that at least some of the dead were Iran nationals.
While Jerusalem has not confirmed its involvement in the strike, the Kremlin blamed Israel for the bombings, after the Syrian government accused the United States of launching the attack.
The Pentagon denied Syria’s claims, stating that the US military has not taken any action against the Assad regime since a sarin nerve gas attack in the city of Douma, east of Damascus, over the weekend killed dozens of civilians.
Some estimates placed the total number of dead at 150, while more conservative reports range from 60 to 80 dead.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized Israel on Monday over the raid on the Syrian airbase, saying that the situation is at risk of “becoming too dangerous” with “actors whom nobody invited” getting involve inside Syria.
Kremlin officials said that no Russian advisers present at T-4 at the time of the attack were injured in the airstrike.
President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Israel did not inform Russia of the planned attack, calling Israel’s actions “a cause for concern.”
