Russian Commander in Syria Says Syrian Air Defenses Shot Down 7 of 8 Israeli Missiles July 19

Rear Adm. Vadim Kulit, the head of the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria, said yesterday that Syrian air defenses shot down 7 of the 8 Israeli missiles that were launched at targets by Israeli jets in Aleppo province the night before. Kulit said 7 or 8missiles launched by the Israeli fighter jets were downed by Syrian air defense units that used Russia-supplied Pantsyr-S and Buk-M2 air defense systems. One missile damaged the building of a scientific research center in Safira, he said. If his statement is accurate, Syrian air defenses may finally have reached the point where they can blunt the effectiveness of Israel’s “war between the wars'’ in Syria.