Syria: Russia to send anti-aircraft missiles to stop Western 'hotheads' Sergei Ryabkov, Mr Lavrov's deputy, declared the EU's decision would force Russia to ship a sophisticated air defence system to Mr Assad's regime. "I can only say that we are going ahead with it," Mr Ryabkov said. We believe that such steps go a long way to restraining some 'hot-heads' from exploring scenarios in which this conflict could be given an international character with participation of outside forces. Syria's government criticised the announcement, denouncing it as an "obstruction" to peace efforts. The S-300 system has been described as a "game-changer" in the conflict and could help the Assad regime resist Western pressure. Russia said it would prove a "stabilising factor" in Syria. As fears grew of an arms race in the region, Israel added to the growing sense of escalation by saying it would not stand by while the S-300 missiles were deployed. "As far as we are concerned, that is a threat," Moshe Yaalon, the Israeli defence minister, said. At this stage I can't say there is an escalation. The shipments have not been sent on their way yet. And I hope that they will not be sent. If God forbid they do reach Syria, we will know what to do. The EU arms embargo on supplying weapons to Syria's rebels had been in place since May 2011. It was due to be renewed at the end of this month, but it was allowed to lapse following late-night negotiations in Brussels on Monday. As part of the deal, Britain and France had apparently agreed to delay any arms shipments until August. However, Mr Hague insisted that Britain could begin supplying weapons much sooner. "We have said we have made our own commitments that at this stage as we work for the Geneva conference we are not taking any decision to send any arms to anyone," he said. But that is not related to a date of August 1. I don't want anyone to think that therefore there is any automatic decision after August 1 or that we are excluded from doing so beforehand. Downing Street said the pledge to provide military support to rebels should help force the regime of Mr Assad to negotiate at an international conference due to open next month in Geneva. The prime minister's view is that it is right that we have the flexibility to respond if Assad's regime refused to negotiate. What we are doing is sending a signal, loud and clear, to the regime," a spokesman said. The White House said that it backed the drive by Britain and France to ensure that Syrian rebels were capable of taking on the regime, which has launched an offensive to retake opposition territory in the run-up to an international peace conference next month. The Pentagon has been asked to draw plans for a no-fly-zone which would be enforced by US, British and French fighter jets, the Daily Beast reported. The White House refused to comment on the plan but said that "all options are on the table" with regards to Syria. However, Russia said the decision placed the peace conference - and particularly the Assad regime's participation in it - in serious jeopardy. Mr Ryabkov accused the EU of "double standards" while Mr Lavrov said a "whole range of activities" were being undertaken to disrupt the idea of convening the conference. The British Government's strong stance on arming the rebels came under rare criticism from the Labour Party, with Douglas Alexander calling for a promise that MPs would be given a say on shipments. "Syria is awash with arms, and today it remains unclear how escalating the conflict with British-supplied weapons would help bring about a peaceful political transition after two years of increasing violence," he said. Meanwhile the Syrian rebels said they were in danger of suffering catastrophic defeats if shipments were delayed until August or later. Any help that eventually comes from London or Paris would be too little, too late, Gen Salim Idris, the head of the Supreme Military Council said. "We are very disappointed," he said. They lift the arms embargo and I don't know what they are waiting for. New video footage obtained by the BBC appeared to show the Syrian regime had carried out a massacre in two Syrian villages last month, contradicting government claims it had attacked "terrorists" operating in the area. A mother of two said she had seen dozens of men, women and children in al-Bayda in early May. State media reported that 40 opposition fighters were killed in the assault in al-Bayda and nearby Banias in Tartous province but Syrian human rights activists and eyewitnesses claim that more than 200 died in a sectarian assault by official forces.