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Israel shot down a Syrian fighter plane with ground-to-air missiles on Tuesday after the plane infiltrated its airspace, according to the army, in a rare incident that could cause tension.
Israel reported that the infiltration of the plane could have been the result of internal fighting in the Syrian civil war, but stressed that it will respect the ceasefire lines between the two countries. "Not long ago, two Patriot missiles were launched on a Syrian fighter Sukhoi infiltrated into Israeli airspace," Israeli Defense Forces said in a statement
"The IDF has monitored the 39, advance of the hunter who infiltrated about two kilometers into the Israeli airspace before being intercepted by Patriot missiles. "
A Syrian military source confirmed that he Israel had fired on one of its fighter planes, but said that the fighter aircraft had carried out operations against jihadists on Syrian territory.
Israel "targeted one of our fighter jets … in Syrian airspace," said the source quoted by the official SANA news agency. The source did not say if the fighter plane had been hit.
It was the first time that Israel had shot down a Syrian fighter plane since 2014.
An AFP correspondent said that flames and smoke were rising from the area barrier between Syria and the Golan Heights occupied by Israel.
The army said that there had been an increase in "internal fighting in Syria", including involving the air force, since the morning hours. High alert and will continue to operate against the violation of a 1974 ceasefire agreement between the two countries.
Israel has insisted for weeks that it would enforce the ceasefire between him and Syria in a government offensive backed by Russia.
Tuesday's incident comes one day after Israeli air defenses fired on Syrian rockets which he feared they would hit his
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Israel has been on alert since June 19, when Syrian government forces launched the offensive backed by Russia to retake Quneitra, Daraa and adjacent provinces, Israel sought to avoid direct involvement in Syria's seven-year civil war, but admitted to having made dozens of strikes He was there to stop what he said was being advanced.
He also promised to prevent his nemesis, Iran, from settling militarily in the neighboring country.
A series of air strikes that killed Iranians in Syria was attributed to Hezbollah, one of his enemies. These strikes culminated in the condemnation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, but Israel maintained good relations with Russia and coordinated its actions in Syria with Moscow [1]. Russia and Iran are supporting Assad in the civil war.
At the Monday meeting between Lavrov and Netanyahu, Russia offered to keep the Iranian forces 100 kilometers from the occupied Golan by Israel, but Israel said "We will not accept the Iranian military intrenchment in Syria , not near the border, not beyond the 100-kilometer limit, which the Russians speak and accept, "said a senior Israeli official. "We said that there were also long-range weapons beyond this distance, and all forces must leave Syria."
Israel seized 1,200 square kilometers (460 square miles) of Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Six Day War, a movement never recognized internationally.
A photo taken on July 23, 2018 of Golan Heights, annexed by Israel, shows a plume of smoke rising during air strikes supporting a Syrian-led government in the south-west provi A photo taken on July 23, 2018 in Golan Heights, annexed by Israel, shows a plane dropping a charge in the province of Daraa, in south-west Syria, during a Syrian government offensive in the region
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