'Ballistic objects' intercepted by Russia were Israel test fire missiles

Event comes amid growing expectations of Western military action in Syria

Israel todya test-fired a missile over the Mediterranean Sea, amid tension in the region over possible U.S.-led strikes on Syria in response to alleged use of chemical weapons, media reports stated.

 

An Israeli warplane fired a missile that was shot down by an Israeli intercept missile, a Pentagon official told NBC News, adding that the test occurred over open water.

 

The test came to light after Russia’s state news agency Isar-Tass reported that Russia had detected the launch of two ballistic “objects” in the Mediterranean area.

 

In a statement, Israel's defense ministry said the launch had "tested the ability of the Arrow anti-missile system."

 

Russia today announced that its missile early warning system had detected the launch of two missiles from the central part of the Mediterranean Sea fired towards the Sea's eastern coastline.

The launches took place at 10:16 am Moscow time (0616 GMT) and were detected by the early warning system in Armavir in southern Russia, the defence ministry said in a statement quoted by Russian news agencies.

It said Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu had already reported to President Vladimir Putin about the event, which comes amid growing expectations of Western military action in Syria.

Foreign minister Sergey V Lavrov earlier dismissed as unconvincing the evidence presented by Secretary of State John Kerry of chemical weapons use by the Syrian government.

Lavrov said that the United States had fallen far short of making a case for international cooperation on military strikes against President Bashar al-Assad government.

Meanwhile, the United Nations refugee agency says the number of refugees fleeing Syria's violence has surpassed the 2 million mark, another tragic sign of a civil war that shows no sign of letting up.