Russian Missiles Aim For Syria, Hit Iran Instead

At least four Russian cruise missiles fired from a ship in the Caspian Sea missed their targets in Syria and instead landed in Iran, US officials have told CNN.

“That we fired from the territory of the Caspian Sea, at a range greater than 1,500 kilometers, and hit targets precisely, this shows high qualifications”, Putin bragged in a televised interview with his defense minister.

USA intelligence and military assets have reportedly been monitoring the situation and say that four or possibly even more missiles crashed while they were flying over Iran.

The White House declined to comment, and Russia’s defence ministry said: “We do not talk with reference to anonymous sources”.

The news broke as North Atlantic Treaty Organisation said it was “ready and able to defend all allies” following Turkey expressing anger over violations of its air space by Russian warplanes.

“In Syria, we have seen a troubling escalation of Russian military activities”, Stoltenberg said.

Activists said troops working for the government pushed into the Ghab plain and rural parts of Latakia province on Thursday, a day after a ground offensive in Hama and Idlib provinces.

Western officials say that in strategic terms, Russia’s new air strike campaign in Syria appears created to help reverse rebel gains increasingly endangering Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, protect Russian military assets in the country including its sole Mediterranean port, and reassert Moscow’s place as a big global power competing with the United States. The Russian Defense Ministry responded to the reports by reaffirming that all the missiles struck their intended targets in Syria.

“Since (the Free Syrian Army) is supposed to be the combat unit of the so-called healthy opposition, it would create good conditions for a political settlement in Syria if they could join forces against the common enemy, terrorists, the Islamic State, the Nusra Front and others”, he added.

Administration officials said they believe Russia’s targeting of US-allied forces is aimed at shoring up the Syrian government and sending a message to the White House.

Wednesday’s offensive in central Syria and the ensuing clashes with militants, including al-Qaida’s Syrian branch, was the first major ground fighting since Moscow began launching air raids in Syria last week.

Lt Gen Ali Abdullah Ayoub, the Syrian chief of staff, said Russian air cover was assisting against “terrorists” – a term the government uses to refer to the armed opposition to Assad.

Britain is to station a “small number” of troops in the Baltic states in a further move to deter Russian aggression, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said.