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Syria war: Israeli fighter jet crashes under Syria fire, military says | Syria war: Israeli fighter jet crashes under Syria fire, military says |
(about 1 hour later) | |
An Israeli F-16 fighter jet has crashed amid Syrian anti-aircraft fire after an offensive against Iranian targets in Syria, the Israeli military says. | An Israeli F-16 fighter jet has crashed amid Syrian anti-aircraft fire after an offensive against Iranian targets in Syria, the Israeli military says. |
The two pilots parachuted to safety before the crash in northern Israel. It is believed to be the first time Israel has lost a jet in the Syrian conflict. | The two pilots parachuted to safety before the crash in northern Israel. It is believed to be the first time Israel has lost a jet in the Syrian conflict. |
Israel was carrying out strikes after the launch of an Iranian drone into Israel. The drone was intercepted. | Israel was carrying out strikes after the launch of an Iranian drone into Israel. The drone was intercepted. |
Syria accused Israel of "aggression", as Israel then launched more strikes. | |
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) tweeted: "Moments ago, IAF aircraft, targeted the Syrian Aerial Defense System & Iranian targets in Syria. 12 targets, including 3 aerial defense batteries & 4 Iranian military targets, were attacked. Anti-aircraft missiles were fired towards Israel, triggering alarms in northern Israel." | |
Israeli strikes in Syria are not unusual, the BBC's Middle East correspondent Tom Bateman says, but the loss of an Israeli fighter jet marks a serious escalation. | Israeli strikes in Syria are not unusual, the BBC's Middle East correspondent Tom Bateman says, but the loss of an Israeli fighter jet marks a serious escalation. |
How did events unfold on Saturday morning? | How did events unfold on Saturday morning? |
In a statement, the Israeli military said "a combat helicopter successfully intercepted an Iranian UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] that was launched from Syria and infiltrated Israel". | In a statement, the Israeli military said "a combat helicopter successfully intercepted an Iranian UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] that was launched from Syria and infiltrated Israel". |
It said the drone was identified quickly and was "under surveillance until the interception". | It said the drone was identified quickly and was "under surveillance until the interception". |
The drone went down on Israeli territory and was "in our possession", IDF spokesperson Brig Gen Ronen Manelis said. | |
The military said that in response the IDF "targeted Iranian targets in Syria". It said the mission deep inside Syrian territory was successfully completed. | The military said that in response the IDF "targeted Iranian targets in Syria". It said the mission deep inside Syrian territory was successfully completed. |
After coming under Syrian anti-aircraft fire, the F-16's two crew ejected and were later taken to hospital. One of them was "severely injured as a result of an emergency evacuation", the IDF said. | |
It was not clear whether the F-16 jet was hit by anti-aircraft fire or went down for other reasons. | It was not clear whether the F-16 jet was hit by anti-aircraft fire or went down for other reasons. |
It is the first time Israel has lost an aircraft in combat since 2006 when an Israeli helicopter was shot down over Lebanon by a Hezbollah rocket, the Jerusalem Post reports. | |
All five crew on board - including a female flight mechanic - were killed in that incident. | |
Red alert sirens sounded in areas of northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights due to Syrian anti-aircraft fire. | Red alert sirens sounded in areas of northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights due to Syrian anti-aircraft fire. |
Residents reported hearing a number of explosions and heavy aerial activity in the area near Israel's borders with Jordan and Syria. | Residents reported hearing a number of explosions and heavy aerial activity in the area near Israel's borders with Jordan and Syria. |
Syrian state media quoted a military source as saying that the country's air defences opened fire in response to an Israeli act of "aggression" against a military base on Saturday, hitting "more than one plane". | Syrian state media quoted a military source as saying that the country's air defences opened fire in response to an Israeli act of "aggression" against a military base on Saturday, hitting "more than one plane". |
What did Israel do next? | |
Later on Saturday, the army said a new wave of attacks was launched against 12 Syrian and Iranian targets in Syria. | |
Eight of the Syrian targets belonged to the fourth Syrian division near Damascus, IDF spokesman Jonathan Conricus said. | |
All the Israeli aircraft from this sortie returned safely. | |
"Syrians are playing with fire when they allow Iranians to attack Israel," the spokesman warned. | |
He added that Israel was willing to exact a heavy price in response but "we are not looking to escalate the situation". | |
What is the Iranian presence in Syria? | What is the Iranian presence in Syria? |
Iran - Israel's arch-enemy - is a key supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose troops have been fighting rebel groups since 2011. | Iran - Israel's arch-enemy - is a key supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose troops have been fighting rebel groups since 2011. |
Tehran has sent military advisers, volunteer militias and, reportedly, hundreds of fighters from its Quds Force, the overseas arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). | Tehran has sent military advisers, volunteer militias and, reportedly, hundreds of fighters from its Quds Force, the overseas arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). |
It is also believed to have supplied thousands of tonnes of weaponry and munitions to help President Assad's forces and the pro-Iranian Lebanese Hezbollah movement, which is fighting on Syria's side. | It is also believed to have supplied thousands of tonnes of weaponry and munitions to help President Assad's forces and the pro-Iranian Lebanese Hezbollah movement, which is fighting on Syria's side. |
Tehran has faced accusations that it is seeking to establish not just an arc of influence but a logistical land supply line from Iran through to Hezbollah in Lebanon. | Tehran has faced accusations that it is seeking to establish not just an arc of influence but a logistical land supply line from Iran through to Hezbollah in Lebanon. |
What is the strategic context? | |
Analysis by BBC's diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus | |
For years Israel has been striking at weapons stores and other facilities in Syria with a single goal - to disrupt and as far as possible to prevent advanced Iranian missiles being delivered to Hezbollah in Lebanon. | |
Syria has often been the conduit for these shipments. But the changing balance of power there, with the Assad regime's survival bolstered by Iranian help, has introduced a powerful new element - a direct Iranian role in the crisis. | |
A more confident Iran is alleged by Israel to be setting up bases in Syria (whether for its own or its proxy Shia militia forces is unclear). | |
But it is also alleged to be developing missile factories, both there and in Lebanon, to make the supply lines to Hezbollah less vulnerable. | |
Israel's campaign to disrupt missile supplies is becoming ever more complex. | |
And Iran risks becoming a direct actor in this conflict, ever closer to Israel's own borders. |