‘We do not intend to have a public argument with Russia,’ defense minister says, shortly before Moscow takes Israel to task over incident
Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said Sunday that Israel’s Syria policy remains unchanged, despite Moscow’s displeasure over the downing of a Russian spy plane during an Israeli air raid in that country last week, and implied that attacks against Iranian- and Hezbollah-affiliated targets would continue.
“We act with discretion and responsibility,” Liberman told Israel Radio in an interview. “Nothing has changed and nothing will change. This is our policy.”
Israeli fighter jets conducted the airstrike last Monday night on a weapons facility in the coastal city of Latakia. During the Syrian air defenses counterattack, the Russian spy plane with 15 crew members on board was shot down.