Russia took its support to Syria to the next level by bombarding the country's rebel forces with intensified missile strikes. Four cruise ships were launched by Russia from the Caspian Sea on Wednesday, while Russian-backed Syrian troops launched a ground offensive to crush forces opposing the Bashar Al-Assad regime.

The target of the missile attacks, however, is still not clear. Moscow said it was meant for ISIS, but the U.S. and its allies reportedly feel otherwise. According to news.com.au, U.S. and its allies fear that the Russian support to Syria is not meant to defeat the ISIS but to reinforce the Assad government. They have also accused Russia of targeting moderate rebels opposing the Assad regime aside from ISIS.

Syrian rebels themselves have said that a range of opposition fighters and not extremists have been hit by Russian forces. This has reportedly heightened the already escalating tension between Moscow and Washington.

Prior to the Russian participation, the U.S. has acknowledged its plan to field a force of moderate rebels to fight the Islamic State's problems. However, it has suspended most of the program after training a few fighters.

The Kremlin, meanwhile, expressed its willingness to make contact with Western-backed rebels. Russian embassy press secretary, Yury Melnik, said that fighting the Islamic State is "in the mutual interest of the Syrian army and the moderate opposition," USA Today reports. The U.S., for its part, said that it is willing to hold “technical” talks with Russia to avoid further mishap between its own party and the Russians. However, it clarified that it will not coordinate more broadly with Russia unless a political transition removing Al-Assad from power will be agreed upon.

It was also mentioned that rerouting of U.S. planes has been made to maintain a safe distance from Russian forces.

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