RUSSIA TO SELL SYRIA MISSLES THAT CAN REACH NEGEV & DIMONA NUKE CENTER

Crisis in Israel-Russia ties
Israel is trying to halt an arms deal in which Russia would supply advanced missiles to Syria, Israeli officials said Wednesday. The officials commented on the affair after a Russian newspaper reported the deal.

The deputy Russian foreign minister is in the region to discuss the matter, the Israeli officials said on condition of anonymity. Syrian President Bashar Assad is due to visit Russia January 24-28. The United States is aware of the growing crisis between Russia and Israel, the officials added. The Russian daily Kommersant reported Wednesday that Israel recalled its ambassador over the deal. Israeli officials said the ambassador was in Israel on vacation, and denied he had been recalled.

The newspaper said Moscow planned to sell Iskander-E missile complexes to Syria. The missiles can destroy targets up to 280 kilometers (175 miles) away and would put all of Israel's territory - including the Dimona nuclear center in the Negev desert - in jeopardy, according to the Kommersant report.