WarSclerotic

Although the Kremlin has contradicted itself about its relations with Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with a delegation of senior Russian officials in Jerusalem on Tuesday to discuss the situation in neighboring Syria.

The Prime Minister’s Office said he met with Russia’s special envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin.

The talks focused on Iran, Syria and “strengthening the security coordination mechanism between the militaries” to prevent friction, the PMO said.

The Russian officials, the PMO statement added, “reiterated Russia’s commitment to Israel’s national security.”

Israeli officials believe that military pressure on Iran is starting to pay dividends and is deterring the regime in Tehran from expanding its foothold in Syria.

Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Yadlin, executive director of Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies, said on Tuesday that “neither the Russians nor the Americans will get the Iranians out of Syria – the entire task falls on Israel’s shoulders.”

Yadlin added: “Even as Israel pursues this avenue, the goal of removing every last Iranian from Syria isn’t prudent and involves risks, but it’s certainly correct to draw red lines and act in accordance with them. These red lines include the establishment of another Hezbollah on the Golan Heights, the scope and breadth of the Shiite militias [operating in Syria] and Iran’s precision missile program.

“There’s no doubt that the Iranians are far from realizing their intended plan – which not only hasn’t materialized but even the limited presence [in Syria] it has managed to establish is shrinking,” Yadlin said.

Israel has acknowledged carrying out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria, primarily targeting Iranian military targets and suspected shipments of Iranian arms to Hezbollah.