JERUSALEM—Acknowledging that Israel carries out air strikes in Syria "from time to time," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that he met for 45 minutes with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the climate summit in Paris in order to discuss coordination of their air forces in the skies over Syria.
"We agreed to enhance military coordination to prevent accidents on a wide scale," he said.
Netanyahu flew to Moscow two months ago to discuss the subject after Russia dispatched warplanes to Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad. Senior military officers from the two sides subsequently met to discuss details.
Netanyahu said officers from the two sides will meet again this week. "I hope Israel and Russia see eye-to-eye on strategic issues. We can achieve very good land and air coordination."
In addition to Israeli air attacks against convoys carrying Iranian weaponry to Hezbollah via Syria, which have been going on intermittently for several years, Netanyahu said "we’re operating against another terror front that Iran is trying to build opposite the Golan."
It was not clear from his remark whether he was referring to air strikes alone on the Golan or to ground action as well.
Early this year, Israeli aircraft killed an Iranian general and five other Syrian military personnel when their vehicle was reconnoitering the border of the Israeli-held Golan Heights.
There have been unconfirmed reports from Syria that Israeli planes have struck targets in that country five times in recent weeks, all subsequent to the arrival of the Russian expeditionary force. The advanced radar the Russian force is known to have would have enabled them to see any Israeli planes entering Syrian air space.
In a talk in northern Israel today, Netanyahu said Israel is doing everything possible to avoid "friendly fire" incidents involving either Russian military units or the U.S.-led coalition forces.
Washington’s announcement Tuesday that American special forces will be deployed in the region to fight Islamic State jihadists will presumably require Israeli coordination with Washington regarding their deployment. Russia and the American-led coalition are also in touch regarding their respective air movements.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah announced Tuesday that a listening device planted by Israel near the town of Marj Ayoun in southern Lebanon, five miles north of the Israeli border, was blown up remotely by Israel itself after it was discovered by a road construction crew. Two civilians nearby were lightly wounded. Israeli surveillance devices have been discovered in the past in Lebanon. Last year, one was blown up by an Israeli drone after it was discovered.