#Russia denies claims Syria-bound missiles fell in #Iran

The killing of a commander in the Revolutionary Guards Corps at the hands of ISIS also highlights the extent of Iranian involvement in Syria and the dire straits in which Assad finds himself, Washington-based analysts say.

British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon accused Russian Federation of making a serious situation “much more risky”.

The Russian defence ministry posted a graphic on its website on Wednesday showing 26 missiles overflying Iran and Iraq before striking inside Syria. They were the most widespread protests since the 1979 Islamic revolution. USA and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation leaders condemned the attacks as an effort to prop up the Syrian government of Bashar Assad, rather than to target Islamic State fighters.

The group said it was not clear if the explosions were the result of air raids by the U.S.-led coalition or Russian warplanes.

A senior regional official close to the Syrian government said: “The Iranians are at the heart of the battle, with strength and effectiveness”.

France’s Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said French warplanes bombed a training camp in Raqqa.

But in recent months, CIA-backed groups, fighting alongside more extremist factions, began to make progress in Syria’s south and northwest, American officials say. Powerful insurgent group Ahrar al-Sham managed to recapture one of the villages, Tel Suseen, later in the day, the Observatory and online media affiliated with the rebels said, but the others appeared to remain in IS hands.

The officials said it’s unclear whether the errant missiles, launched from Russian ships in the Caspian Sea, caused any significant damage in Iran. Several senior Guard commanders have been killed in Syria. He was a veteran commander who had an important role in Iran’s 1980-88 war with Iraq.

Iran has become increasingly public about its aid to Syria’s government, at first not disclosing flights to Syria in 2012 which Washington believed to be full of advisers and weapons.

By Rick Gladstone The Obama administration has tried four military approaches to combat the Islamic State and to help shape the outcome of Syria’s civil war, which began more than four years ago. Insurgents have been advancing there since summer, threatening the coastal region where Assad’s family and the Alawite minority, an offshoot of Shiite Islam, are concentrated.

During the summer, the commander of Iran’s elite Quds force, Gen. Qasem Soleimani, traveled to Moscow.

Secretary of State John Kerry spoke Thursday by telephone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for about a half-hour, focusing primarily on Syria and Ukraine, State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

“That is very regrettable, in particular the mounting toll of civilian casualties through what looks like the use of unguided as well as guided munitions being deployed quite indiscriminately in civilian areas”, he said. The F-16s were also targeted by surface to air missile batteries stationed in Syria. His wife of one year is expecting their first child, Anadolu said. U.S. Navy Captain Jeff Davis told reported a us aircraft flying over Syria was forced to reroute to avoid a Russian fighter jet on at least one occasion. It was the second French strike on Syria, and Le Drian said “it will not be the last”.

But the United States and other players have questioned Russia’s targets, suggesting they were not primarily aimed at ISIS but the Syrian opposition in a bid to strengthen the Syrian government’s position.