Putin's Missiles Will Change the Mideast Game

The S-300 system is intended by Russia to restore Syrian sovereignty over its airspace, which it had de facto ceded to Israel. The system is intended to discourage Israeli air attacks against Syrian targets, particularly overland arms shipments transiting Syria from Iran through Iraq to Hezbollah in Lebanon. The system is sophisticated and complex, necessitating expertise and skill, which the Syrian forces do not now have. But properly manned and deployed it would constitute a significant constraint not only on Israel but on any other outside military intervention. Given their considerable range, these missiles would technically allow Syria to go after any aircraft in Israeli airspace. This Israel will not tolerate, although the Israeli government will probably hold fire if and until the system threatens to become operational.