Israel launches attacks in Syria after F-16 crashes

[Wilsonandson]

JERUSALEM/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Israel said it launched air strikes against air defences and Iranian targets in Syria on Saturday and the Syrian army claimed to have hit an Israeli F-16 that crashed in northern Israel in a major escalation of tension.

Israeli security forces examine the remains of an F-16 Israeli war plane near the Israeli village of Harduf, Israel February 10, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

The Israeli military said the F-16 jet crashed during a mission to strike Iranian drone installations in Syria, where Iranian and Iran-backed forces have established a major foothold while fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

Israel said it had sent its jets into Syria after shooting down an Iranian drone flying over Israeli territory earlier on Saturday. Israel said its warplanes came under fire in Syria, though it was still unclear why the jet had come down.

“Twelve targets, including three aerial defense batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran’s military establishment in Syria were attacked,” the Israeli military said in a statement.

“During the attack, anti-aircraft missiles were fired towards Israel, triggering alarms that were heard in Northern Israel,” the military said. Syrian state media reported two separate Israeli attacks. In the first one, a military source said Syrian air defences had opened fire in response to an Israeli act of “aggression” against a military base, hitting “more than one plane”.

Later, Syrian state media said air defences were responding to a new Israeli assault and air defences had thwarted attacks on military positions in southern Syria.

Iran’s expanding clout during Syria’s nearly seven-year-long war, including deployments of Iran-backed forces near the Golan frontier, has raised alarm in Israel, which has said it would act against any threat from its regional arch-enemy Tehran. The clashes marked a dangerous new confrontation between the international powers caught up in Syria’s seven-year-old war.

Iranian and Iran-backed Shi‘ite forces, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah, have deployed widely in support of Assad. Iran’s military chief warned Israel last October against breaching Syrian airspace and territory.
“MASSIVE” ANTI-AIR FIRE

Israel said one of its attack helicopters shot down an Iranian drone at around 4.30am (0230 GMT)that had come from Syrian into Israel. “In response, the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) targeted Iranian targets in Syria,” the military said.



The remains of an F-16 Israeli war plane are seen near the Israeli village of Harduf, February 10, 2018. REUTERS/ Ronen Zvulun

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said a “substantial” number of Israeli warplanes on the mission had come under “massive Syrian anti-air fire”, and only one Israeli jet was harmed.
The F-16 came down in a field near the northern Israeli village of Harduf, television footage showed, and one of the pilots was injured as they ejected, the military said.
David Ivry, a former Israeli Air Force chief, told Reuters he believed it was the first time an Israeli F-16 was brought down since Israel began using the jets in the 1980s.
“We don’t know if the pilots ejected because of the (Syrian)fire,” Conricus said. It was also unclear at what stage of the mission they ejected, he said, “but it is of extreme concern to us if they were shot down.”

FLIGHTS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED

Tensions have also spiked across the frontier between Israel and Lebanon over Israeli plans for border wall, and Lebanese plans to exploit an offshore energy block which is partly located in disputed waters.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Israel had targeted areas in the countryside southwest of Damascus, near the Syrian-Lebanon border west of Damascus and in the eastern countryside of Homs province for several hours since dawn.
One set of raids hit positions belonging to the Syrian government and its allies in central Syria around the T4 airbase and in the Homs desert, the Britain-based Observatory said.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-iran/israel-launches-heavy-syria-strikes-after-f-16-crashes-idUSKBN1FU07L

[Wilsonandson]

Early assessments suggest Syrian fire shot down Israeli jet: Israeli military spokesman

Reuters Staff

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Early assessments suggest an Israeli jet that crashed in northern Israel on Saturday was hit by Syrian anti-aircraft fire, an Israeli military spokesman said.

Israeli media reports said the Israeli F-16 was hit by Syrian anti-aircraft missiles. Asked by Reuters if the reports were accurate, Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said: “Early assessments. Not confirmed yet.”

Reporting by Maayan Lubell; Editing by Andrew Heavens

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-israel-crash/early-assessments-suggest-syrian-fire-shot-down-israeli-jet-israeli-military-spokesman-idUSKBN1FU0FY

[Neverna]

About time an Israeli plane was shot down.

[Maanaam]

^ Yep, but can you imagine the forthcoming outrage?
How dare those Arabs shoot down one of our jets when the jet was attacking them and in their territory.
This calls for retribution.

[Neverna]

Israel has attacked Syria 100 times in the last 5 years, often from Lebanese airspace. They don't give a fuck about the sovereignty of any other country.

[Maanaam]

With impunity and even tacit support from the US.

[Grampa]

Israel has attacked Syria 100 times in the last 5 years, often from Lebanese airspace. They don't give a fuck about the sovereignty of any other country.

And some muslim countries?

[Neverna]

Israel won't mind the waste of an aircraft. After all is said and done, American taxpayers paid for it and American taxpayers will pay for its replacement.

[wasabi]

The one pressing the trigger of the surface to air missile did he cry "Allah Agbar" as it sped on its way.

[Grampa]

Israel won't mind the waste of an aircraft. After all is said and done, American taxpayers paid for it and American taxpayers will pay for its replacement.

I agree with you.

The USrael alliance disgusts me.

[harrybarracuda]

Syria won't give a fuck either, because Vlad will replace all the shit Israel blow up.

[Neverna]

So it's win-win for the military industries.

[HuangLao]

So it's win-win for the military industries.

Must certainly so.
It's what life is worth living for - the perpetuation of romanticizing and championing of all things militarism/war.

Too many know nothing else. Bringing on swelling in the nether regions.

[harrybarracuda]

So it's win-win for the military industries.

Aren't all armed conflicts?

[OhOh]

Syrian press are claiming multiple Israeli missiles, planes and drones were hit.

Iranians showing two inflatable dummy Toyota pickups with shrapnel cuts.

Hezbolla staying cool as the Lebanon Governmet and the LORD signed a military assitance deal last week.

The LORD did take the Israeli leader's call, once the Olyimpic opening ceremony finished and told Bibi to put his toys away before he gets hurt.

Bibi said he couldn't as two of his F35's were missing. The LORD replied, "We have a Chinese New Year sale this week. Good prices on stealthy plane, radar systems that might interest you".

[OhOh]

Israel won't mind the waste of an aircraft. After all is said and done, American taxpayers paid for it and American taxpayers will pay for its replacement.

All that buy Treasury notes and trade using US$ you mean.

Dump the US$, US$, US$........

[baldrick]

Bringing on swelling in the nether regions.

Manpads are better than viagra

[harrybarracuda]

Syrian press are claiming multiple Israeli missiles, planes and drones were hit.

Iranians showing two inflatable dummy Toyota pickups with shrapnel cuts.

Hezbolla staying cool as the Lebanon Governmet and the LORD signed a military assitance deal last week.

The LORD did take the Israeli leader's call, once the Olyimpic opening ceremony finished and told Bibi to put his toys away before he gets hurt.

Bibi said he couldn't as two of his F35's were missing. The LORD replied, "We have a Chinese New Year sale this week. Good prices on stealthy plane, radar systems that might interest you".

Iran sent a drone into Israeli airspace.

Israel shot it down, and sent a jet to destroy the drone launch site.

The jet got hit on the way back.

So more Israeli jets bombed the shit out of the various missile and radar sites in the vicinity.

No doubt Benny sent Vlad a text telling him to keep his Iranian daschunds on their leads.

[Norton]

So it's win-win for the military industries.

About 3.3 billion a year goes to Israel. Israel must buy US made equipment with the "aid". Nice subsidy for US companies. More profit. More jobs. More campaign contributions. More votes.

[VocalNeal]

With impunity and even tacit support from the US.

Which makes one wonder. Who is the US rally supporting in Syria?

Sorry if I have been a bit slow on the uptake?

[Norton]

Who is the US rally supporting in Syria?

Big convoluted mess. You have Syrian, Russian, Iranian, Kurds and US forces all fighting ISIS forces in Syria. Kurds are part of US coalition. Iran, Russia, Syria form "Syrian" coalition. US coalition in North pissing off Turks cuz they hate the Kurds. Syrian coalition (Iranians mostly) in the south near Israel pissing of the jews cuz they hate everybody especially Iranians.

All clear now?

[PlanK]

And the Turks are also NATO partners with the US but fighting against the US allies in this case and maybe even working with the Ruskies if the story about the Ruskie pilot's body return is actually true.

[VocalNeal]

The Russian guy was unlucky?



This guy made it back

As did this guy

[Maanaam]

Sorry if I have been a bit slow on the uptake?

No, it's a convoluted mess of diabolical proportions that few really understand. Can't say I know, except that ultimately the US will support whatever Israel wants, no matter how heinous.

[harrybarracuda]

No, it's a convoluted mess of diabolical proportions that few really understand. Can't say I know, except that ultimately the US will support whatever Israel wants, no matter how heinous.

It's your typical proxy war between the Russians and the US, with Iran sticking its oar in.

And the Syrian people are the real victims. They just wanted the right to run their own country.