Just a day ahead of his Wednesday departure for Russia, where he will meet with President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu issued a warning pertaining to increased Iranian involvement in Syria and Lebanon, stating this reality could result in a regional conflict.

PM Netanyahu will be flying to Russia on Wednesday, 2 Rosh Chodesh Elul, accompanied by Mossad Director Yossi Cohen. They will be meeting with President Putting in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi. It is reported the focus of their talks will surround ongoing Iranian involvement in Syria and Lebanon, which has Jerusalem concerned. In fact, Cohen was just in Washington last week, accompanied by Chief of Military Intelligence Major-General Herzl Halevy. They met with officials there to issue the same warning regarding Iran’s continued involvement in Syria and Lebanon.

Their talks did not result in an immediate US response as the US has fallen short of any commitment to act in response to ongoing Iranian activity in the area. Mr. Netanyahu hopes he will be more successful in talks with the Russian leader, who he will ask to act to curtail Iranian activities.

Russia remains a firm ally of Bashar al-Assad and has used its fighter planes to target rebel forces on the ground. Israel has been working to remain uninvolved in the ongoing civil war in Styria, while maintaining a watchful intelligence eye on events in that country.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)