Russian President Vladimir Putin called his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday and warned the country against airstrikes in Syria.
The Kremlin released a statement verifying the call, and said Putin "emphasized the importance of respecting Syria’s sovereignty" and called on the Israeli Prime Minister to "refrain" taking action to that could "further destabilize the situation in the country and threaten its security."
The two leaders discussed the recent aerial attack on military airbase in Homs,Syria, which reportedly killed at least 14 people. Russia has accused Israel of leading the strike, an allegation that Israel has neither confirmed nor denied.
Israeli officials confirmed the phone call, reported Haaretz, adding that Netanyahu said Israel would act to prevent Iran's military presence in Syria. News of the phone call came as Netanyahu delivered a speech for Israel's Holocaust Memorial Day (Yom Hashoa) in which he brazenly threatened Iran not to "test Israel's resolve."
On Wednesday, Netanyahu reportedly told his security officials in a closed-door meeting that he believes the US will order a military strike against Syria in retaliation for a suspected gas attack on Saturday that killed dozens of civilians.
Russia has aligned itself with Syrian leader Bashar Al-Assad and his government forces, and Israel is trying to curb Iran's growing influence in Syria and prevent Iranian fighters from attacking Israel's border.
Netanyahu and Putin have maintained positive relations in the last few years, and have discussed preventing a military confrontation between their armies in Syria. But the recent call between the two leaders likely signals a growing divide in their approach to the regional conflict.
