Moscow Missiles Missed Target Landed In Syria

An unnamed US government source told Reuters that four missiles had crashed before reaching their targets.

Moscow launched the attack from warships stationed in the Caspian Sea, Russia has rejected US claims that four of its missiles crashed into Iran rather than reaching intended targets in Syria.

It said 26 cruise missiles flew 900 miles across Iran and Iraq before hitting Islamic State targets, including plants for making shells and explosives.

A Russian defence spokesman says that report is not true.

"We do not talk with reference to anonymous sources," Major General Igor Konashenkov is quoted by Interfax as saying.

"We show the launch of our rockets and the targets they struck."

Syria's top general said on Thursday that the missiles hit targets in Raqqa and Aleppo in the north and Idlib province in the northwest.

In a rare televised statement, General Ali Ayoub said Russian strikes provided cover for government forces to launch an offensive against Islamic State fighters and other rebel forces.

US Secretary of State John Kerry directly phoned his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Thursday amid growing tensions between the two countries because of uncoordinated strategies in Syria.

"The Secretary repeated (US) concerns about the preponderance of targets that are being struck by Russian military forces that are not (Islamic State)-related," US department spokesman John Kirby said.