MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and sought to assuage Israel's fears of a potential Iranian and Syrian aggression. The West has been concerned over Russia's military buildup in Syria, which Moscow has said is aimed to help the Syrian government fight the Islamic State group. Russia, Syria's long-standing ally, has denied that it helps Syria militarily to support the regime of Bashar Assad.

Earlier this week, new satellite imagery showed the recent arrival of Russian tanks, armored personnel carriers and other military equipment at an air base in Syria's coastal Latakia province, confirming reports by U.S., Israeli and other officials of a Russian military buildup.