Amid growing military cooperation between Iran and Russia, Israeli officials fear Iran’s possible acquisition of the Russian S-400 air defense system would narrow the window for a strike on Tehran’s nuclear sites.
Iran has allegedly asked Russia for a new S-400 air defense system, which could prove to be a disaster for Israel, The Jerusalem Post reported on March 2. The report further noted that even though Russia had not officially confirmed the news, the system could become operational in Iran about two years after its delivery.
S-400 is a mobile, surface-to-air missile system (SAM) that can engage aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles at their terminal stages. It is the fourth generation of long-range Russian SAMs, which China, India, and Turkey also operate.
The prospect of such an acquisition by Iran has reportedly rattled officials in the US and Israel. Bloomberg quoted some unnamed people in Israel and the US with knowledge of the discussions as saying that the prospect of Iran getting the S-400 would accelerate a decision on a possible Israeli attack on the country.