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Russia's Eastern Mediterranean Presence Complicates Israeli Naval Operations
(Center for International Maritime Security) Cdr. (ret.) Dr. Eyal Pinko - In recent years, the Russian Navy's presence in the Eastern Mediterranean and Syria has expanded dramatically, while there has been a reduction of the U.S. naval presence in the region resulting from strategic decisions made by Presidents Obama and Trump to transfer the bulk of U.S. naval forces to Asia. The Israeli Navy has been affected by the Russian Navy's presence. Russian intelligence gathering on Israeli naval activity affects the freedom of executing routine secret operations and will also affect the ability to perform them in crisis times. It can be assessed with high probability that intelligence gathered by the Russian Navy is also conveyed to Syrian and Iranian troops and even to Hizbullah. Moreover, the Israeli Navy's ability to maneuver freely has been hampered in areas where Russian vessels are present. The writer served in the Israeli Navy for 23 years and for 5 more years in the prime minister's office.