Israel report: Hezbollah ‘installs Russian defence system’ in Syria

Lebanese group Hezbollah has positioned air defence systems in Syria and Lebanon to deter Israeli airstrikes, an Israeli research group said.

The Shia Muslim political and paramilitary movement has reportedly deployed the air defences to Syria’s Qalmoun Mountains region, northwest of the capital Damascus, Israel’s Alma Research Center claimed.

The mountains border Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, a stronghold of Hezbollah. It is known for being the group’s recruitment base since its formation in the early 1980s and now functions as Hezbollah’s rear base.

Alma claimed that Hezbollah is in now possession of a Russian manufactured SA-8 missile system to defend itself from Israeli airstrikes, which has targeted its fighters in Syria.

It is the first-ever air defence missile system to be completely mobile.