Israel Conducts Missile Tests

Russia's state-owned RT News reported this morning that Russian radar detected the launch of two ballistic missiles over the Mediterranean. Israel is claiming that the action was part of a joint test exercise with the United States. USA Today reports:

Tensions over Syria ratcheted up a notch on Tuesday after Russia's Defense Ministry said it detected traces of ballistic "objects" — now claimed by Israel — launched from an area in the central Mediterranean and moving in an easterly direction. After some initial confusion over who was responsible, the Israeli military said it was behind the launch, saying it was carrying out a joint missile test with the United States. Israel's Defense Ministry said in a statement the test of its "new version of the Sparrow target missile" was "successful." The Sparrow is an anti-missile system developed by the Israeli firm Rafael in conjunction with Boeing.However, it was not immediately clear to what extent the U.S. was involved in the missile test. Earlier, CBS News tweeted that a U.S. official confirmed that American ships or planes were not involved in the missile launches. Separately, Pentagon spokesman Navy Commander William Speaks told the Associated Press: "I have nothing to confirm those reports whatsoever."