Israel's Netanyahu to speak to Russia's Putin: source

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin, an Israeli diplomatic source said on Tuesday, following the downing of a Russian plane over Syria.

The official, who declined to be named, said the conversation would take place "shortly" but gave no further details. Earlier, the source said, Israel was in constant touch with Russian political and military officials "at all levels."

Earlier, the Israeli military said its fighter jets had "targeted" a Syrian facility that it said was about to transfer weapons to Hezbollah on behalf of Iran, but that when the Russian plane was downed the Israeli jets "were already within Israeli airspace."