Report comes days before Russian leader to host Naftali Bennett in a first meeting expected to focus on Iran; Moscow also hosts Iranian military chief

PM invited to Sochi to discuss Tehran's nuclear program and other regional issues with Russian president, amid reported tensions over Syria policies

Development follows recent reports of tensions in the Israel-Russia relationship over policies toward engagement in war-torn country

Hezbollah, Iranian commanders reported killed in Israeli strikes; Russian military official says 7 of 8 Israeli missiles struck down this week

Arab paper claims that after getting sense US does not back ongoing Israeli raids, Moscow has taken steps to upgrade Syrian missile defenses against attack

Former US secretary of state cites Israeli minister's 2018 speech mentioning raids, and State Department notes generally that such operations were public knowledge

With the changing of the US administration, the IDF sees Tehran as less likely to retaliate, and is making hay of the opportunity by expanding and intensifying its air campaign

Intel official tells AP overnight raids targeted warehouses used to store Iranian weapons; says Pompeo and Mossad chief discussed the attack during meeting at DC restaurant

No comment from IDF; Area bombed has been repeatedly hit before and is a main route used by Iran to smuggle weapons to terror groups like Hezbollah

State media reports attack struck targets south and west of capital, which have been reportedly bombed by Israel in the past