A new satellite image that was released by Image Sat International revealed on Tuesday, February 5 that Syria’s S-300 system was ready for service, Al-Masdar News reports.

According to the image, at least three of the four S-300 batteries were visible via the satellite, but the picture did show them erected.

Based on the information from previous satellite images, these S-300 batteries are located around the strategic city of Masyaf in the western countryside of the Hama Governorate.

While this may be good news for Syria’s coastal region, it does not provide much relief for the Damascus countryside that is constantly targeted by the Israeli Air Force.

As long as Israel maintains air superiority over Lebanon, repelling the latter’s strikes on Damascus will be very difficult for the Syrian military.

The S-300 system was delivered by the Russian Federation to Syria on October 1, 2018; the move came after a Russian IL-20 reconnaissance aircraft was accidentally downed over the Latakia coast.

Russia accused an Israeli F-16 jet of using the IL-20 for cover as Syrian air defense missiles attempting to down the enemy aircraft in the eastern Mediterranean.