Sep 18, 2018

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Tuesday that Israel would keep acting against its arch foe Iran in Syria, after a Russian aircraft was accidentally downed there by Syria during an Israeli missile strike.

Netanyahu's office said he told Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone that "Israel is determined to stop Iranian military entrenchment in Syria, and the attempts by Iran, which calls for the destruction of Israel, to transfer to Hezbollah lethal weaponry (to be used) against Israel."

Netanyahu also "expressed sorrow" over the deaths of the 15 Russian crew members onboard and said Israel would assist Moscow in the investigation.

He said Syria was responsible for the downing of the plane.

The late Monday incident saw the Russian aircraft with 15 crew members aboard shot down by Syrian air defence in response to an Israeli raid.