Citing unnamed American officials, the newspaper claimed late on Wednesday that “after a recent strike on a Syrian arm's cache failed to wipe out the entirety of a Russian-made anti-ship missile arsenal, US intelligence analysts have concluded that Israel will want to finish the job with a future attack.”

According to media reports, Israel carried out an early morning air strike on a Syrian weapons cache in the port city of Latakia on July 5. The attack allegedly targeted Russian-made Yakhont anti-ship missiles.

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that, while the Israeli airstrike destroyed the warehouse containing the Russian-made anti-ship missiles, American intelligence analysts believe that some of the missiles were moved prior to the Israeli attack.

US officials provided new information on the July 5 strike, saying that Israeli aircraft had never entered Syrian airspace, firing air-to-ground missiles from the eastern Mediterranean. This led to false reports that an Israeli submarine had carried out the attack, officials told the Times.

Russia has recently sent the Syrian government SA-26 anti-aircraft missiles and two MI-24 Hind helicopters, according to the Times.

Syria has reiterated that it would retaliate any attacks on its soil by maximum force.

BA/BA