Russian warplanes clash with American fighter jets after bombing raid on US backed forces

The Pentagon said the rebels had been conducting counter ISIS operations in the At Tanf region on the Syrian side of the Syria-Jordan border.

The Russians and American forces remain active in the region, with Moscow backing the regime forces of Bashar Al Assad and the White House backing the rebels in what has been said to be proxy war which could lead to a larger global conflict.

As the Russians launched their bombing raid the Americans scrambled fighter planes from their aircraft carriers in the region.

The F/A-18 fighters intercepted the Russian bombers in a tense standoff, with the American pilots speaking directly to the Kremlin pilots in an attempt to talk them down.

This latest military confrontation between Russia and America comes as Putin issued a stark Cold War 2 warning as spooks say Moscow is preparing for war.

The confrontation ended as the Russian bombers stood down and departed the airspace.

But when the American jets left the area to refuel, the Russians returned and launched a second raid on the rebel garrison – hitting fighters and first responders tending to the injured from the first raid.

In total 2 rebel fighters were killed and 18 injured in the two bombing runs.

This latest confrontation adds to mounting tension between the superpowers, with NATO forces deploying 4,000 troops – including Brits – to the Baltic to prepare for invasion.

Experts have warned Russia could destroy NATO in just 60 hoursbr if the Red Army marched to war.

Russian president Vladimir Putin is also stockpiling nuclear weapons with warnings of World War 3 could be triggered as early as 2017.

(dailystar.co.uk)