Russia has deployed an advanced anti-missile system to Syria for the first time, three U.S. officials told Fox News
According to Foxnews, this comes after Russia’s actions led to the collapse of a cease-fire and the cut-off of direct talks with the U.S., according to Fox News.
The officials say that the system could counter any American missile.
Reports indicate that components of the SA-23 Gladiator anti-missile and anti-aircraft system, which has a range of roughly 150 miles, arrived over the weekend “on the docks” of a Russian naval base along Syria’s Mediterranean coastal city of Tartus, two U.S. officials said.
According to FOX, US officials said that intelligence team was monitoring the shipment of the system.
The SA-23 can fire two different types of missiles. A smaller missile is used against aircraft and cruise missiles and is known by NATO as Gladiator.
The larger missile is used against intermediate-range ballistic missiles and jamming aircraft and is known as Giant. Both missiles use the same type of warhead containing over 300 pounds of explosives, according to military-today.com.