Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-AssadReuters

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad referred Monday to Israeli bombings on Syrian territory over the weekend and declared that he relies on the Russian administration to prevent a conflagaration at the border.

"Russia has an important role in preventing a future confrontation with Israel," said Assad according to Arab media networks.

The Syrian president was speaking after meeting a number of senior Russian officers and after it was publicized that the Russians had called Israel's ambassador to Russia, Gadi Koren, to a consultation after the Israeli attack on Thursday night near the city of Palmyra.

Earlier on Monday ,the head of the air defence systems in the IAF, Brigadier General Tzvika Heimovitz, said that the Israeli response to a Syrian missile which brought about the launching of an Arrow missile was done without need for deliberation.

"We identified the SAM-5 missile shot from Syrian territory. In the shot time available to us we realized that this missile which weighs seven tons including a quarter ton of explosives, could explode inside Israel and cause damage and injuries. We therefore immediately activated the Arrow.

"There is a short time in which the air defense systems personnel have to take quick decisions but it was the right decision at the time," concluded Haimowitz.

Last Thursday Israeli planes attacked targets in Syria and a number of missiles were shot at planes and towards Israel. In response and Arrow interception missile was sent and exploded one of the missiles.