Report: Russian Air Defense Systems Fully Deployed, Operational In Syria

Russia has completed an elaborate air defense system in Syria that constrains the freedom of action of both the United States and Israel. According to a report by the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War, the deployment includes the advanced S-300 and S-400 systems in addition to cutting-edge radar and electronic warfare capabilities. Nevertheless, reports surfaced Thursday night of an Israeli strike south of Damascus, the likes of which has become increasingly rare since the accidental downing in September by Syrian forces of a Russian reconnaissance plane. For its part, the U.S. has an estimated 3,000 troops on the ground in Syria that provide support to mainly Kurdish forces in the east. Analysts believe that Washington and Jerusalem retain offensive means to circumvent the Russian defense umbrella, including through the use of F-35 stealth fighter jets. Israel has vowed to continue targeting Iranian assets in Syria, intimating that it would go so far as to destroy anti-missile batteries perhaps even being manned by Russian soldiers.