The State Department would not confirm the accuracy Tuesday of a claim earlier in the day by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu that four new Russian-made S-300 missile launchers had arrived in Syria on Monday.
"I saw that report," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told Newsmax. "I cannot confirm that it is accurate. I hope that they did not."
But she insisted she could not confirm it, adding "I don't have anything more for you on that right now."
Pressed about her earlier statement, Nauert was asked whether the confirmation of the S-300s would be "a 'sort of serious escalation' or a serious escalation."
"It would be an escalation," she replied.
Israel has no doubt Syria has the Russian hardware and, in fact, has warned giving the S-300s to the Syrians would make the situation there even more dangerous than it is.
In 2013, Russia had planned to deliver the S-300s to Syria but finally backed down at the request of Israel.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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