An Israeli F-16 fighter jet crashed Saturday in northern Israel after coming under "massive anti-aircraft fire" from Syrian forces, according to the Israeli army.

The incident came after an Israeli combat helicopter successfully intercepted an Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle that had been launched from Syria, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.

Both pilots aboard the Israeli jet are safe, the Israeli army said, although one pilot was severely injured as a result of an emergency evacuation from the plane.

The crash happened as Israeli forces attacked 12 targets in Syria, including three aerial defense batteries and four targets described as Iranian, the IDF said.

The IDF statement described the four Iranian targets as "part of Iran's military establishment in Syria."

The statement concludes: "The IDF will act determinately against such severe violations of Israeli sovereignty by Iran and Syria and will continue to act as necessary."

Syrian state news agency SANA reported that Syrian air defense forces had responded Saturday to what they called an Israeli "aggression" by hitting more than one Israeli plane, following attacks on a Syrian military base by Israel jets.

"The Israeli enemy entity early morning at dawn conducted a new aggression against one of the military bases in the central region," SANA said, citing a military source.

IDF spokesman Jonathan Conricus told CNN that only one Israeli aircraft had come down, with all others returning safely to base. The cause of the F-16 crash is being investigated, Conricus said.

He said in a tweet that "Iran is responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty."

Earlier this week, the Syrian regime claimed that Israel warplanes fired several missiles from Lebanese airspace targeting a Syrian military position in the Damascus countryside, SANA reported.

The Syrian regime said they intercepted the missiles and destroyed most of them, according to SANA.

The Israeli military declined to comment on the incident.

Tensions between Israel and Syria have escalated in recent months.

Israel has conducted dozens of strikes inside Syrian borders to defend what it calls its red lines, and to prevent what it says is Iran's proxy Hezbollah -- fighting alongside the Syrian regime -- from acquiring advanced weaponry.

Authorities also accused Syria in November of violating the 1974 ceasefire agreement by "conducting construction work" in the northern part of the Golan Demilitarized Zone.

The United Nations called Tuesday for a month-long humanitarian ceasefire throughout Syria as fighting escalates in certain areas.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime recently intensified airstrikes on rebel-held areas such as Syria's northwestern Idlib province, prompting tens of thousands of civilians to flee their homes, according to UN officials.

A Russian warplane was shot down in Idlib last week. </s> JERUSALEM
• Israel said it shot down a Syrian warplane that crossed into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights yesterday, but Damascus said the jet was fired on as it took part in operations against rebels on Syrian territory.

The incident added new fuel to weeks of tensions over the Golan, a strategic plateau between the two old enemies and where Israel has been on high alert as Syrian government forces, supported by Russia, close in to regain rebel-held ground.

For the second time in as many days, Israeli sirens sounded on the Golan and witnesses saw the contrails of two missiles flying skyward.

The military said it fired Patriot interceptor missiles at a Syrian Sukhoi jet that crossed 2km into Israeli-controlled airspace, after first trying to warn it off.

"It was shot down and crashed, most likely in the southern part of the Syrian Golan Heights," Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said. "We do not have any information so far about the pilots. We do not know of any reports of parachutes being spotted and if any pilots have been retrieved."

Syrian state media said, however, that the warplane had been targeted by Israel and hit while conducting raids in Syrian airspace.

"The Israeli enemy confirms its support for the armed terrorist groups and targets one of our warplanes, which was striking groups on the edge of the Yarmouk Basin in Syrian airspace," the official news agency Sana quoted a military source as saying.

An Israeli military statement appeared to acknowledge that its mission was related to the civil war next door. "Since morning, there has been an increase in the internal fighting in Syria, including an increase in the activity of the Syrian Air Force," it said.

It added that Israel would "continue to operate against" any breach of a 1974 United Nations armistice deal that established buffer zones on the Golan.

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

The raised Israeli-Syrian tensions have prompted intercession by Moscow, which sent its foreign minister and top general on Monday for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israeli officials said Mr Netanyahu rebuffed as insufficient a Russian offer to keep Iranian forces 100km from the Golan lines. </s> BEIRUT -- Israel shot down a Syrian fighter jet it said had breached its airspace on Tuesday, as Syrian forces reached the Golan Heights frontier for the first time in seven years. The Israeli military said it monitored the advance of the Syrian Sukhoi fighter jet and shot it down with a pair of Patriot missiles after it penetrated Israeli airspace by about 1.2 miles.

Syrian forces have been battling rebels and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants at the frontier with Israel in recent weeks.

Tuesday marked the first time government forces reached the border fence with the U.N.'s Disengagement Observer Force at the edge of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

It was the first time Israel shot down a Syrian jet in four years.
• None U.S. helps evacuate hundreds of White Helmets rescuers from Syria 



Israel's military said there had been an increase in internal fighting in Syria since the morning hours, including intensified activity by the Syrian Air Force.

Minutes before the reported shootdown, Syria's state-run Al-Ikhbariya TV was broadcasting footage from the fence demarcating the U.N. buffer zone between Syrian and Israeli forces inside the Golan Heights. A U.N. observer post could be seen just on the other side of the fence.

The camera showed an Israeli post 440 yards away.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967. The U.N. deployed a peacekeeping force between the two sides in 1974.

It is the first time government forces have taken up positions along the frontier since an uprising against President Bashar Assad swept through the country in 2011. ISIS militants later seized territory from rebels along the frontier region. </s> JERUSALEM, Israel – Israel shot down a Syrian fighter jet Tuesday over the northern part of the country.

The Israel Defense Forces said two Patriot missiles were launched at a Syrian Sukhoi fighter jet after it infiltrated about two kilometers (one mile) into Israeli airspace.

IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said the plane flew toward Israel at "relatively high speed" before it breached Israeli territory. He said they did not know if it had deliberately crossed into Israel. The plane crashed on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights.

The Associated Press quoted Conricus saying that increased military activity near Israel's border on the Golan Heights had put the military on "elevated alert" and prompted Israel to issue a number of warnings through different channels against any violation of the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement. That agreement delineated a demilitarized zone along the Israeli-Syrian frontier.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces "acted appropriately."

 

 "Our air defense systems identified a Syrian Air Force jet that took off from the T-4 Syrian Air Force base and penetrated Israeli airspace. This is a gross violation of the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement with Syria. I have reiterated and made clear that we will not accept any such violation. We will not accept any such penetration of, or spillover into, our territory, neither on the ground nor in the air. Our forces acted appropriately. We insist that the Syrians strictly abide by the Separation of Forces Agreement between us and them," Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office.

Israel captured the Golan Heights during of the 1967 Six-Day War. In 1974, the UN deployed peacekeepers between the two sides there. Many of them were relocated to the Israeli side of the border during the last seven years of fighting in Syria.

Earlier, Syrian state media said government forces had captured territory from rebels and Islamic State terrorists, reaching the frontier on the Golan Heights.

That's the first time that government forces have reached the Israeli border since the uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad began in 2011.

On Monday, Israel used its David's Sling anti-missile battery to intercept two SS-21 Tochka tactical ballistic missiles fired from Syria as part of the internal fighting. The projectiles landed inside Syria.

It was the first time that Israel used David's Sling, designed to intercept medium-range missiles. </s> Israel shot down a Syrian Sukhoi fighter jet Tuesday that infiltrated its airspace, the Israeli military announced.

The jet entered about 1.2 miles into Israeli airspace before it was hit by a pair of Patriot missiles, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

It's the first downing of a Syrian jet since a U.S. Navy F-18 Super Hornet shot one down over Syria in June 2017 after the Syrian plane fired on U.S.-backed Syrian forces.

"Since this morning, there has been an increase in the internal fighting in Syria and the Syrian Air Force's activity. The IDF is on high alert and will continue to operate against the violation of the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement," the military said in a tweet.

On Tuesday, Syrian forces reached the Golan Heights frontier for the first time in seven years. The government forces reached the border fence with the U.N.'s Disengagement Observer Force.

Minutes before the reported shootdown, Syria's state-run Al-Ikhbariya TV was broadcasting footage from the fence demarcating the U.N. buffer zone between Syrian and Israeli forces inside the Golan Heights. A U.N. observer post could be seen just on the other side of the fence.

Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report. </s> BEIRUT — Israel said it shot down a Syrian warplane that crossed into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Tuesday, but Damascus said the jet was fired on as it took part in operations against rebels on Syrian territory.

The incident — the first time Israel has shot down a Syrian jet in four years — added new fuel to weeks of tensions in the Golan as Russian-backed forces close in on ground held by rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad.

The Israeli military said it monitored the advance of the Syrian Sukhoi fighter jet and shot it down with a pair of Patriot missiles after it penetrated Israeli airspace by about 1.2 miles.

"It was shot down and it crashed...most likely in the southern part of the Syrian Golan Heights," Israeli military spokesman Lt.-Col. Jonathan Conricus said. "We do not have any information so far about the pilots. I do not know of any reports of parachutes being spotted, and we do not know if any pilots have been retrieved."

Tuesday marked the first time Syrian government forces reached the border fence with the U.N.'s Disengagement Observer Force at the edge of the Golan Heights. While Israel maintains it is not involved in internal Syrian affairs and will follow a policy of non-interference, it has been watching closely as Syrian forces battle rebels and Islamic State militants next door.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967. The U.N. deployed a peacekeeping force between the two sides in 1974.

Syrian state media contradicted Israeli version of events, and reported that a Syrian warplane had been targeted by Israel and hit while conducting raids in Syrian airspace.

"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 Basin in Syrian airspace," the official news agency SANA quoted a military source as saying.

Minutes before the reported shootdown, Syria's state-run Al-Ikhbariya TV was broadcasting footage from the fence demarcating the U.N. buffer zone between Syrian and Israeli forces inside the Golan Heights. A U.N. observer post could be seen just on the other side of the fence.

The camera showed an Israeli post 440 yards away.

Retired Israeli Brig. Gen. Yossi Kupperwasser said Israel was anxious to not become embroiled in the Syrian conflict.

"Israel is not specifically targeted, these are events that have to do with the ongoing war in Syria," he told journalists. "But the war is now focused on the area close to the border, which is why we see more activity that may threaten Israel."

It is the first time government forces have taken up positions along the frontier since an uprising against Assad swept through the country in 2011. Islamic State militants later seized territory from rebels along the frontier region. </s> Sign up for one of our email newsletters.

BEIRUT (AP) — Israel shot down a Syrian fighter jet it said had breached its airspace on Tuesday while advancing Syrian government forces retaking territory from rebels reached the Golan Heights frontier for the first time in seven years.

The Israeli military said it monitored the advance of the Syrian Sukhoi fighter jet and shot it down with a pair of Patriot missiles after it penetrated Israeli airspace by about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles).

Syria’s military, however, said one of its jets was targeted by Israel over Syrian territory as it flew sorties against Islamic State militants.

Syrian forces have been battling rebels and IS militants at the frontier with Israel for weeks in a campaign to restore President Bashar Assad’s rule over southwestern Syria.

On Tuesday, government forces reached the border fence where a U.N. peacekeeping force is deployed at the edge of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. It was the first time Syrian government had managed to retake the area since 2011, when an uprising swept through Syria against Assad.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967. The U.N. deployed peacekeepers between the two sides in 1974.

Israel’s military has been on “elevated alert” along the frontier because of activity on the Syrian side of the fence, said military spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus. Israel has warned Syria through various channels not to violate the 1974 agreement that established the demilitarized zone, he added.

Minutes before the reported downing of the jet, Syria’s state-run Al-Ikhbariya TV was broadcasting footage from the fence demarcating the U.N. buffer zone between Syrian and Israeli forces in the Golan Heights. A U.N. observer post could be seen just on the other side of the fence.

The camera showed an Israeli post 400 meters (440 yards) away.

Israel’s military said the Syrian jet took off from the T4 air base, which Israel is believed to have attacked earlier this year.

The plane flew toward Israel at “relatively high speed” before breaching the country’s airspace, said Conricus. He said it was unknown if the plane deliberately crossed into Israel.

The plane crashed in the southern part of the Syrian Golan Heights, he said. Israel had no reports on the condition of the pilot.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said one pilot was killed and that the condition of the other was unknown.

Syrian rebels surrendered their last pockets in the southwestern Quneitra and Daraa provinces last week, leading thousands of opposition fighters, their families and other civilians to evacuate to the rebel-held province of Idlib in northern Syria.

According to the Observatory, some 9,500 people have been bused from southwest Syria to Idlib. It is unlikely they will be able to return to their homes in the near-term. The U.N. has condemned such arrangements as forced displacement, a war crime.

Over the weekend, rescuers from the Syrian Civil Defense — also known as White Helmets — and their family members were evacuated through Israel to Jordan, after they were promised asylum in Canada and European nations.

The White Helmets have been a target of the Syrian government, which accuses them of staging poison gas attacks and participating in terrorism, claims which have not been proven. </s> BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:05 P.M.) – The Israeli Air Defense almost shot down a Russian fighter jet that was flying close to the occupied Golan Heights, the former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon told RIA Novosti on Saturday.

“In the very beginning of the Russian operation in Syria, there was a case when a Russian pilot almost crossed our border in the Golan Heights,” Ya’alon told the Russian publication.

“We used a hotline to contact the Khemeymim Airbase in Syria and told them ‘your plane is about to enter our airspace. Be careful!'”- the former Israeli DM stated..

Ya’alon was one of the founders of the “hot line”, which from the autumn of 2015 allowed the armed forces of the two countries to avoid accidental clashes and other dangerous incidents while conducting operations in Syria.

One year before this incident with the Russian Aerospace Forces, the Israeli Air Defense downed a similar Syrian Su-24 jet that was flying close to the occupied Golan Heights.

A direct channel of communication channel between the Khmeymim Airbase and the command center of Kiriya in Tel Aviv was established almost simultaneously with the arrival of Russian forces in Syria.

Advertisements </s> JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Syrian anti-aircraft fire shot down an Israeli fighter jet on Saturday and Israel struck an Iranian target that had launched an unmanned aircraft into its airspace from Syria, the Israeli military said.

“IDF (Israel Defence Forces) has 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.
The Syrian Air Defense Force shoots down an Israeli F-16 over the Golan Heights after it fired on alleged Iranian targets inside Syria. Both pilots parachute to safety.