Israel targets ‘Iranian’ positions in Syria
> Arch foes lurch towards confrontation after warplane downed
TEL AVIV: Israel attacked what it said were Iranian positions inside Syria on Saturday in “large-scale” raids after one of its warplanes was targeted by Syrian air defences and crashed.
Following the most serious confrontation between arch foes Israel and Iran since Syria’s civil war began in 2011, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to prevent Tehran from establishing a threatening military presence in the Arab state.
Israel’s raids came after it intercepted what it said was an Iranian drone entering its airspace from Syria, calling it an “attack”.
Washington backed Israel and blamed Iran for the escalation.
United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres called for “an immediate and unconditional de-escalation of violence” in Syria, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
It was the first time Israel has publicly acknowledged targeting what it identified as Iranian positions in Syria since the conflict started.
Iran denounced Israeli “lies” and said Syria had the right to self-defence in response to the strikes.
Separately, Iran issued a statement with Syria’s other main allies – Russia and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah – denying Israel’s drone allegations.
Russia’s foreign ministry urged “restraint” by all parties, adding it was “unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian soldiers” in Syria.
Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus warned that Syria and Iran were “playing with fire”, but stressed that his country is not seeking an escalation.
In a statement, Israel’s military said its reprisals were “large-scale” raids on Syrian air defence systems and Iranian targets.
“Twelve targets, including three aerial defence batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran’s military establishment in Syria were attacked.”
Israel said the confrontation began with the drone entering its airspace before being intercepted by a helicopter.
Conricus said it was intercepted well inside Israel north of the city of Beit Shean, near the border with Jordan.
He did not say whether the drone was armed, but alleged it “was on a military mission sent by Iranian military forces” from an “Iranian base” in the Palmyra area.
Eight Israeli aircraft then “targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the UAV” and confirmed hits, he said.
He said the aircraft met “massive Syrian anti-air fire”, and the F16 later came down in northern Israel’s Jezreel valley.
The two crew from the crashed F16, which landed inside Israel, were alive after ejecting, although one was severely wounded, the military said. – AFP