Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the latest developments in the region.
Netanyahu says Saturday that he informed Putin of Israel’s intention to continue defending itself against any aggression and to prevent Iran from establishing a presence “in Syria or anywhere else.”
Russia backs the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria and maintains a large military presence in the country. Netanyahu has met several times with Putin to coordinate military activities in the region.
Russia’s foreign ministry appeared to criticize Israel’s actions by saying it was “absolutely unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian servicemen.”
Netanyahu says he also spoke to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
Meanwhile, Israel is also calling on the United Nations Security Council to denounce Iran’s dispatching of a drone into Israeli territory.
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, says Saturday that “all of our warnings regarding Iran have proven correct. We will not tolerate any violation of our sovereignty.”
Danon is calling on the Security Council to condemn Iran’s action and “put an immediate end to Iranian provocations.”
Israel says it shot down the drone after it penetrated Israeli airspace and destroyed the Iranian installation in Syria that launched it.
