Report: U.S. Officials Confirm Israel Hit Syrian Air Base

The Times of Israel reports: US officials have reportedly confirmed that Israel carried out a predawn missile strike on an air base in central Syria that reportedly killed 14 people on Monday, while Russia protested that it had not been informed ahead of time.

NBC News quoted two US officials as saying that Israel had carried out the strike, adding that Washington had been informed in advance. Israel has refused to comment on the attack. However, the Kremlin angrily protested that it had not been told.

Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, told reporters that Israel had not spoken to Moscow ahead of the airstrike even though Russian military advisers could have been present at the base, which he described as “a cause for concern for us.” In a rare move, Russia accused Israel earlier Monday of carrying out the strike, as did dictator Bashar Assad’s regime.