BEIRUT: Russia said Thursday its warplanes had eased back on airstrikes in Syria as regime forces press a widening ground offensive, while President Vladimir Putin criticized Washington for not cooperating over the conflict.

As Moscow and Washington neared agreement on measures to avoid confrontation over Syria, Russia announced that a hotline had been set up with Israel to ensure there would be no clashes between their air forces.

Russia launched 32 attacks on “terrorist” targets over the past 24 hours, the defense ministry said Thursday afternoon, compared with some 86 the previous day.

“The intensity of the sorties... has slightly decreased in the past day,” a statement said, because “the front line with the terrorist groups of Daesh is changing as a result of active offensives by the Syrian armed forces.”

The latest strikes targeted Damascus, Idlib, Hama, Deir Ezzor, and Aleppo provinces.

In Aleppo, it said strikes had destroyed a Daesh command post and an underground bomb-making workshop. Also eliminated were artillery positions in Khan Sheikhun in Hama, one of the targets of the Syrian military offensive. “The militants are retreating, trying to set up new positions and change the logistic system providing them with ammunition, weaponry and materials,” the ministry said.

Syrian television, citing a military source, said the army had begun a military operation in the north and northwest of Homs province “with the goal of restoring security and stability to the villages and towns in the area.”

It said its forces had taken control of one village north of the city.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, reported at least 10 people, six of them rebels, had been killed in a barrage of Russian air strikes in the area.

The Homs offensive is the latest joint operation since Moscow began its aerial campaign on Sept.30.

The fighting appears intended to secure the main highway that leads from Homs to neighboring Hama’s provincial capital Hama city.

Meanwhile, a senior official in key regional Syrian ally Iran said Tehran would consider sending fighters to aid Damascus if they were requested.

“If Syria makes a request, we will study the request and make a decision,” said Alaedin Boroujerdi, chairman of parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee.

Washington this week rebuffed Moscow’s suggestion of broader talks on Syria, prompting criticism from Putin on Thursday.

“I believe this is an unconstructive position,” he said on a visit to Kazakhstan.

“It looks like they have nothing to talk about.”