Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and sought to assuage Israel's fears of a potential Iranian and Syrian aggression.
The West has been concerned over Russia's military buildup in Syria, which Moscow has said is aimed to help the Syrian government fight the Islamic State group. Russia, Syria's long-standing ally, has denied that it helps Syria militarily to support the regime of Bashar Assad.
Earlier this week, new satellite imagery showed the recent arrival of Russian tanks, armored personnel carriers and other military equipment at an air base in Syria's coastal Latakia province, confirming reports by U.S., Israeli and other officials of a Russian military buildup.
Netanyahu told Putin at the start of the meeting at his residence outside Moscow that Iran with the help of the Syrian army "is trying to set up a second terrorist front on the Golan Heights," which Israel captured from Syria and effectively annexed in 1981.
Putin told Netanyahu on Monday that his fears of a Syrian and Iranian aggression in the area are unfounded.
"We know that the Syrian army and Syria as a whole are in such a state that they have no time for a second front. They need to save their own state," Putin told Netanyahu in televised comments. "But still, I understand your concerns."
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