Israel is seriously concerned that Russia could sell advanced anti-tank weapon systems to Syria capable of piercing the most modern armour, the Yediot Aharonot newspaper reported Friday.

Russia’s most advanced anti-tank rockets are referred to by NATO members as AT-15 and have an effective range of six kilometres (3.75 miles), longer than the firing range of the most advanced tanks, the  newspaper said.

They are guided both by revolutionary radar, which the daily said no anti-tank rocket in the West has, and laser guidance, and are able to penetrate the armour of the tanks currently held by Western armies as well as bunkers.

Israel is concerned that if Russia sells the weapons system to Syria then the rockets could end up in the hands of Shia militia Hezbollah, with whom Israel fought an inconclusive war last summer, Yediot reported.

“Delivering weapons to Syria today would encourage it to go to war,” Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres was quoted as saying by public radio.

“Syria is threatened by no one, certainly not Israel,” he was said to add.

Former Israeli foreign minister Sylvan Shalom, who is today a member of the main right-wing opposition Likud party, accused Russia of “playing with fire.”

“This fire could kindle wildfire in the region which would threaten the stability of the whole world,” he added.

Popularity: 3% [?]