Israeli military delegation in Russia for anti-tunnel operation talks

An Israeli Army delegation was set to meet their Russian counterparts in Moscow on Tuesday in order to discuss an operation aimed at destroying tunnels allegedly dug by members of the Iran-backed group Hezbollah from Lebanon into northern Israel.

In a statement issued on Monday night, the Israeli Defence Forces said it had decided to send the delegation led by head of Army operations, Major General Aharon Haliva, after a conversation between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"During the day-long visit, the delegation will brief their Russian counterparts on Operation Northern Shield and other operational issues," the IDF was cited as saying by Efe news.

Last week, the Israeli Army said it had carried out an operation, dubbed Northern Shield, to expose and neutralize those cross-border attack tunnels.

Both delegations were set to hold talks over ways to improve military coordination in Syria to avoid incidents in the Arab country's airspace, according to Israel's state-run radio station.

In September, a Russian plane with 15 soldiers was shot down amid a bombing raid by Israeli jets in Syria, prompting Russia to provide an S-300 surface-to-air missile system to its ally Syria.

Russia had for several years abided by a request from Israel not to deliver an S-300 system to neighbouring Syria.

--IANS

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