Russia condemns alleged Israeli airstrikes on Syria

Russia condemned on Tuesday alleged recent Israeli airstrikes in Syria, saying such attacks "grossly violate Syria's sovereignty."
Russia has managed to maintain close relations with Syria and Israel despite tensions between those neighbouring countries throughout the Syrian civil war as Russia's military supports the Syrian state.
Six Israeli warplanes coming from Lebanese airspace conducted a series of missile strikes on Syrian territory on Sunday night, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Sixteen people were killed in the strikes, including a small child, the Russian ministry said.
 "This Israeli attack was the largest action of its kind since May 2018," the statement said.
 "This escalation evokes extreme concern," it said, adding that such actions, "grossly violating Syria's sovereignty," have the potential to destabilize the region. Israel has not confirmed conducting such an attack.
 Senior military advisers from Russia, Israel and the United States met in Israel last week for talks focused on improving the security situation in the Middle East, particularly regarding Syria.