Brigadier General Tal Kalman, chief of staff of the Israeli air force, warned that weapons flowing into the region could shift the balance of power away from Israel, hinting at growing Iranian hegemony without naming the country. He said the air force was the ‘dominant and central figure’ in the successful defence of Israel against the threats facing it, but warned it could change. ‘Advanced Western and Eastern weapons have entered the equation and have been received by the countries surrounding us,’ he said, referring to military equipment coming from Europe and the United States, as well as from China, including fighter planes, ballistic missiles, and advanced surface-to-air missiles. An arms race, along with instability, creates a great danger. Despite Russia’s nominal withdrawal from Syria, the more advanced S-400 air defence system, along with other pieces of Russian military equipment, remain in the war-torn country, according to Russian media.