A leading Russian expert Wednesday defended the controversial new sale of missiles to Syria, Interfax news agency reported.

The expansion of Russia's arms trade with Syria was beneficial for Moscow and did not violate international norms, said Vladimir Anokhin, vice President of the Russian Academy for Geopolitical Problems.

The development of military-technical cooperation with such countries as Syria benefits Russia and does not threaten the security of third countries, he told Interfax, while commenting on media reports of Israeli anxiety over possible deliveries of Russian Iskander-E missile systems to Syria.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz Wednesday quoted Israeli military officials as expressing concern that the missiles would get into the hands of Hezbollah and disrupt the military balance in the Middle East, Interfax said.

Haaretz said the missile has a target radius capable of reaching nearly all of Israel within its range, only the southern Negev and Eilat would be out of range. Therefore the Israeli leadership will attempt to solve the matter through direct talks with Moscow, Haaretz said.