Politics
14:52, 10-Feb-2018
Syrian air defenses hit at least one Israeli fighter jet after Israeli ‘aggression’
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Syrian air defenses opened fire in response to what it called an Israeli act of "aggression" against a military base on Saturday and hit "more than one plane,” said Syrian state media citing a military source.
"The Israeli enemy entity at dawn today conducted a new aggression against one of the military bases in the central region. Our air defenses confronted it and hit more than one plane," the unidentified military source said.
An Israeli military spokesman claimed the jet was targeting an Iranian drone that was launched from Syria.
It was one of the most serious incidents involving Israel, Iran and Syria since the start of the Syrian civil war almost eight years ago.
The remains of an F-16 Israeli war plane can be seen near the Israeli village of Harduf, Israel Feb. 10, 2018. /Reuters Photo
The remains of an F-16 Israeli war plane can be seen near the Israeli village of Harduf, Israel Feb. 10, 2018. /Reuters Photo
“A combat helicopter successfully intercepted an Iranian UAV that was launched from Syria and infiltrated Israel,” the Israeli military said in a statement.
“IDF (Israel Defense Forces) have targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the #UAV into Israeli airspace. Massive Syrian Anti-Air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe,” Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus said on Twitter.
Israeli media said the jet crashed in northern Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a rare visit to the Israel-Syria front on Tuesday and warned Israel’s enemies not to “test” its resolve. He did not mention by name Iran nor its Lebanese militia ally, Hezbollah, both main players in Syria’s civil war.
Israeli security forces walk next to the remains of an F-16 Israeli war plane near the Israeli village of Harduf, Israel Feb. 10, 2018. /Reuters Photo
Israeli security forces walk next to the remains of an F-16 Israeli war plane near the Israeli village of Harduf, Israel Feb. 10, 2018. /Reuters Photo
Netanyahu has been cautioning against any attempt by Iran to deepen its military foothold in Syria or construct missile factories in neighboring Lebanon.
Israel has seen spillover violence from the Syrian civil war. It has opened fire at times to foil what it deemed deliberate cross-border attacks and has struck suspected Hezbollah arms shipments around 100 times in Syria during the civil war.
(With input from Reuters)