Putin seeks to assuage Israel's fears of Syrian aggression

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and sought to assuage Israel’s fears of potential Iranian and Syrian aggression.

Mr. Netanyahu told Mr. Putin that Iran and Syria have been supplying Hezbollah with advanced weapons and are “trying to set up a second terrorist front on the Golan Heights,” which Israel captured from Syria and effectively annexed in 1981.

“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,” Mr. Putin told Mr. Netanyahu in televised comments. “But still, I understand your concerns.”

Mr. Netanyahu told Mr. Putin that Israel’s policy was to prevent these weapons transfers and thus he felt it was important to inform Russia of this, “to make sure that there was no misunderstanding between our forces.”