Special to WorldTribune.com

Russia escalated its military operations in Syria in a big way on Oct. 7 as it launched missiles from its warships in the Caspian Sea to support a ground offensive aimed at foes of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Moscow claimed the offensive targeted Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), but the United States said most of the attacks are still being carried out against anti-Assad rebels, including those backed by the U.S.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin in televised remarks that four warships in the Caspian Sea launched 26 missile strikes that destroyed 11 targets some 900 miles away, according to Russia’s TASS news agency.

“Intensive work of different intelligence services over the last two days has made it possible to detect a large number of various (Islamic State) facilities — command posts, ammunition depots, military equipment depots, training camps of militants,” Shoigu said.

Shoigu said 112 ISIL targets have been hit since Russia began its military operations on Sept. 30. While Russia maintains it is mostly hitting ISIL targets, U.S. military officials say at least 50 percent of the strikes have hit moderate rebel forces fighting Assad.

Officials say Moscow’s escalation will further undermine U.S. President Barack Obama’s faltering strategy in Syria. The diplomatic solution to replace Assad that the U.S. seeks is going nowhere, the experts say.

Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Oct. 7 said the U.S.-led coalition has not agreed to cooperate with Russia and that no collaboration will take place as long as Moscow continues to strike moderate rebel targets.

Carter called the Russian strategy “tragically flawed,” adding that “they continue to hit targets that are not ISIL. We believe that is a fundamental mistake.”

  Ashton Carter, Bashar Assad, Caspian Sea, ISIL, Russia launches first strikes in Syria from warships, Sergei Shoigu, WorldTribune.com