Israel shoots down Syrian jet ‘infiltrating Israeli airspace’

The aircraft landed on the Syrian side of the border, according to the Israeli miliary.

The condition of the pilot and crew are unknown as no parachutes were reported.

Israel’s military sounded air defence sirens on the Syrian frontier earlier today, but did not give a reason why it was activated.

Witnesses said the Israeli army launched two interceptor missiles, followed by explosions. 

Two Patriot interceptor missiles were launched at the Sukhoi jet after it flew two kilometres “into Israel”.

An IDF spokesperson on Twitter said it launched the missiles due to “an increase in the internal fighting” in Syria.

@IDFSpokesperson tweeted: “Two Patriot missiles were launched at a Syrian Sukhoi fighter jet that infiltrated about 1 mile into Israeli airspace. The IDF monitored the fighter jet, which was then intercepted by the Patriot missiles.

“Since this morning, there has been an increase in the internal fighting in Syria and the Syrian Air Force’s activity. The IDF is in high alert and will continue to operate against the violation of the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement.”

Syrian state media has said Israel targetted a Syrian warplane while conducting raids in Syrian airpace.

Syrian news agency SANA quoted a military source and said: “The Israeli enemy confirms its support for the armed terrorist groups and targets one of our warplanes, which was striking their groups in the area of Saida on the edge of the Yarmouk Valley in Syrian airspace.”

It is the second time in two days that the sirens have been activated in the Golan Heights. 

The Golan Heights are opposite the Syrian areas where Damascus’ forces have been fighting with rebels.

The first alert on Monday was sounded becuase Israel said there were two incoming Syrian rockets, but they fell short. 

@IDF tweeted on Monday: “Breaking: Sirens sounded in northern Israel.

“Additional sirens are currently sounding in several locations in northern Israel. 

“Following the reports of sirens sounding in northern Israel, it was concluded that the rockets were from internal fighting in Syria where they later fell. In response to the threat,the IDF launched 2 David’s Sling aerial defense system interceptors. No injuries or damage reported.”

“A short while ago, a terrorist squad was launching arson balloons from the northern Gaza Strip into Israeli territory. In response, an IDF aircraft fired towards the squad.”

Israel worries that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad might try to defy the demilitarisation regime or allow his Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah reinforcements to deploy near the Golan

The intensifying i-Syrian tensions have prompted intercession by Moscow, which sent its top diplomat and top general on Monday for talks with i Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. i officials said Netanyahu rebuffed as insufficient a Russian offer to keep Iranian forces 100 km (62 miles) from the Golan lines.

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