Russia says sees signs U.S. preparing for possible strike on Syria: agencies

FILE PHOTO: Syrian forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad hold a checkpoint in Aleppo, Syria February 10, 2018. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Russian Ministry of Defence said on Monday it had noticed Washington was building up its military forces in the Middle East in preparation for what Moscow feared was a possible strike on Syrian government forces, Russian news agencies reported.

Major-General Igor Konashenkov was quoted by agencies as saying that the USS Ross, a guided-missile destroyer, had entered the Mediterranean on Aug. 25 armed with 28 Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of hitting any target in Syria.

(Reporting by Polina Ivanova; Editing by Andrew Osborn)