The Russian military says its warships in the Mediterranean have fired four cruise missiles at Daesh "Islamic State" positions in Syria.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement today that the Admiral Essen frigate and the Krasnodar submarine launched the missiles at ISIS targets in the ancient city of Palmyra.
It says the missiles successfully hit IS heavy weapons and fighters the group had deployed and moved to Palmyra from its stronghold of Raqqa, the de facto capital of ISIS.
The ministry says it notified the US, Turkish and Israeli militaries before the strike on militants at the UNESCO World Heritage site.
'The Russian Navy's Admiral Esen frigate and Krasnodar submarine performed a launch of four Kalibr cruise missiles from the eastern Mediterranean against the targets of the IS (Daesh) terrorist groups in the area of Palmyra,' the Ministry statement said.
'All targets have been struck.'
Kalibr missiles are surface ship and submarine-launched weapons that have been used by the Russian military since 2012.
They have been deployed extensively in the Syrian Civil War.
The Russian Navy fired Kalibr cruise missiles on Al-Nusra Front positions in Syria last year.
Russia has also been criticised in the international community for its support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Just yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he is 'convinced' the Syrian government was not behind an alleged chemical attack which killed dozens in the country last month.
Several Western nations have accused Assad of carrying out an attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun, in which 88 people including 31 children were reported to have been killed.
Earlier this year IS militants destroyed the historic Tetrapylon and 'significantly damaged' the Roman Theater at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Palmyra.
