Russia has said it is to supply its ally Syria with more advanced anti-missile technology, and jam radar signals in the eastern Mediterranean, after a deadly incident of friendly fire.

Moscow will send newer S-300 surface-to-air missile defense systems to Syria within the next two weeks, Sergei Shoigu, defence minister, said in a statement on Monday.

The missile system, originally developed by the Soviet military but since modernised, fires missiles from trucks and is designed to shoot down military aircraft and short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.

The decision came a week after Israeli F-16 planes struck targets near Moscow’s air base in Latakia, western Syria, prompting the Syrian government to respond.

Its unsophisticated air defence missiles instead hit a Russian Il-20 surveillance plane, killing all 15 servicemen onboard.