WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th September, 2018) Israel provided support to Syrian rebel groups in recent years in order to repel Iranian-backed forces and Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia) militants near its border with Syria, US media reported.
Israel covertly provided arms and money to 12 Syrian rebel groups in recent years, Foreign Policy reported on Thursday citing more than a dozen commanders and members of the rebel groups.
Israel provided the Syrian rebel groups with assault rifles, machine guns, mortars, and transport vehicles, the report said. Israel paid rebel fighters up to $75 a month while providing additional funding for groups to buy weapons on the Syrian black market, the report added.
However, the report said relations between Israel and the rebel groups have dwindled. The rebel groups felt betrayed when Israel failed to intervene when President Bashar al Assad's forces backed by Russian airstrikes advanced into southern Syria.
In May, Israel hit dozens of Iranian targets in Syria after Iranian forces allegedly fired 20 rockets at Israeli positions in the Golan Heights. Tehran denied having military bases in Syria.
Israel is one of the main US allies in the middle East and a major consumer of US arms and military equipment. The two states share the stance on the Iran and both hope to minimize Tehran's influence in the region and in crisis-torn Syria.
