What could the U.S. target in Syria and how might Russia react?

How might Russia and Syria react to military action?

Though the Syrian air defence system was heavily damaged by Israeli attacks in March, it remains a threat. Its ageing missiles still fly faster than modern jets – a 45-year-old SA 5 missile brought down an Israeli F-16, prompting the Israeli counter-strikes. However, the air defence battery offers little defence to ground-hugging missiles. And more than 100 Israeli strikes had previously been launched without a plane being hit.

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The bigger question is whether Russia would activate its more formidable S-400 system, which has been in place in Syria for more than a year. This poses a lethal threat to the world’s most modern jets. During previous attacks, Russia has sometimes briefly turned the system on, but it has not yet used it. A warning by the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, to Trump not to attack could indicate a different approach a strike is ordered this time.

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