"The operational capabilities of our air force are such that these batteries (S-300) do not really limit their effectiveness," the minister said on the radio station of the Israel Defense Forces.
"We have subtle fighters, these batteries can not even track them," - said the Israeli minister, referring to American-made F-35 stealth fighters, the delivery of which began from the end of 2016.
Answering the question whether the S-300 supply could stop Israeli strikes on Syria, he said: "Certainly not."
At the same time, Khanegbi, a member of the military-political cabinet of Israel, which includes key government ministers, noted that the S-300 Russian anti-aircraft missile systems could be destroyed from the air and, possibly, on the ground. “A few months ago, we had already destroyed the Syrian rocket battery,” he said, making it clear that the same could happen with the S-300.
According to the minister, the capabilities of the S-300 air defense system have long been taken into account by Israel in strategic planning.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week that his country would continue to attack Iran’s targets and the Hezbollah’s Shiite movement in Syria, despite the delivery of Russian C-300 systems.
The United States has already delivered eight F-35 fighter jets worth $ 125 million to Israel, and another 33 such aircraft will be handed over to the country's Air Force until 2021.
On September 24, Defense Minister Shoigu announced that Russia would transfer the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system to the Syrian military within two weeks. According to him, Moscow will equip command posts of the Syrian air defense units with automated control systems.
This decision was made by Moscow after the destruction of the IL-20 in the Mediterranean Sea, which was sbytsiriyskimi air defense systems. As stated by the Russian Defense Ministry after the tragedy, Israeli planes, which fired Syrian Latakia with rockets, put the Il-20 under attack.
Israel blamed the downed IL-20 on Syria.
