U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates told Israel's visiting defence minister in Washington that he shared Israeli concerns "about proliferation of advanced weapons that could destabilize the region," Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.

The go-ahead for the $300 million Yakhont missile deal was made public last week by Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, who told news agency RIA that it dated back to a 2007 contract and had also met objections from the United States.

The announcement raised hackles in Israel, whose defence minister, Ehud Barak, traveled to Moscow this month to seal a military cooperation pact and urge the Russians not to supply Syria with arms that could challenge Israel's might.

Visiting Washington on Monday, Barak voiced concern during meetings with White House officials that the Yakhont missiles could "be passed to Hezbollah, as has happened in the past, and be turned against Israel," his office said in a statement.

Reuters