WASHINGTON, Rajab 7, 1434, May 17, 2013, SPA -- Russia has sent Syria advanced anti-ship missiles, U.S. officials told Reuters on Friday, bolstering Syrian defenses despite pleas from Washington and elsewhere to stop supplying President Bashar al-Assad's forces. One of the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the latest Yakhont surface-to-air missiles were delivered recently. The transfer of the missiles was first reported by the New York Times. There was no immediate comment from the Russian government. The disclosure comes just over a week after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry suggested that he raised the issue of arms transfers to Syria during talks in Moscow this month. The first U.S. official also confirmed a report that Russia has deployed a dozen or more warships to patrol waters near its naval base in Syria. "This is not necessarily a deterrence approach designed specifically for Syria. It's probably a broader power projection for the Russian navy," the official said. -- SPA 18:37 LOCAL TIME 15:37 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/1111227