Israeli military strikes Syrian anti-aircraft battery it says fired at jets while flying over Lebanon

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The Iranian drone was shot down by U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle

Israel’s military said Monday it carried out an air strike on an anti-aircraft battery in Syria after it fired toward its planes, while vowing it sought no further escalation in the war-torn country.

Israeli planes were on what the military described as a routine reconnaissance mission over neighbouring Lebanon when an anti-aircraft missile was fired in their direction, a military spokesman said.

The planes returned safely, according to the spokesman, adding it was believed the anti-aircraft battery in Syria was destroyed.

“We hold the Syrian regime responsible for the anti-aircraft fire and any attack originating from Syria,” Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus told journalists.

Israel “will maintain its ability to thwart hostile intentions and activities endangering Israeli civilians,” he said.

He did not specify how many Israeli planes were involved in the reconnaissance mission, but described them as being “in proximity to the Syrian border.”

The battery targeted was located some 50 kilometres (31 miles) east of Damascus.

It was believed to be the first time since Syria’s civil war began that Israeli planes were fired toward while in Lebanese airspace, said Conricus.

However, Israel’s military said it had no interest in any further escalation.

“Israel has no intention to destabilise the situation,” said Conricus.

Israel has sought to avoid becoming more directly involved in the six-year civil war in neighbouring Syria, though it acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes to stop what it calls advanced arms deliveries to Hezbollah.

The Lebanese Shiite group is backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in the conflict. Israel and Hezbollah fought a devastating war in 2006.

Russian visit

In March, Israeli warplanes struck several targets in Syria, drawing retaliatory missile fire in the most serious incident between the two countries since the start of the Syrian war.

At the time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the air strikes targeted weapons bound for Hezbollah and that Israel would do the same again if necessary.

Syria’s military had said it launched anti-aircraft missiles at the aircraft, claiming it had downed an Israeli plane and hit another as they carried out pre-dawn strikes near the desert city of Palmyra.

Israel denied any of its aircraft was hit.

During the sortie, Israel fired its Arrow interceptor to take out what was believed to have been a Russian-made SA 5 missile.

In the aftermath, Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman threatened to destroy Syrian air defence systems “without the slightest hesitation” if they fired on Israeli planes in future.

Monday’s strike comes with Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu due to visit Israel later in the day. Russia is also backing Assad in the Syrian conflict.

Russia and Israel have established a hotline to avoid accidental clashes in Syria.

“The Russians were notified in real time,” Conricus said of the strike.

Shoigu and Lieberman were expected to discuss Syria and Iran’s presence there.

Iran, Israel’s main enemy, backs Assad in the war along with Russia. Israel is concerned Iran will establish a permanent military presence along its border.

Putin Turning Blind Eye to Israeli Attacks
The attack on the so-called “Ramadan” SA-5 battery, which was situated about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Damascus, was well within the area covered by Russian anti-aircraft batteries and fighter planes operating from the Khmeimim air base on Syria’s Mediterranean coast, according to Israeli website Haaretz.

Some Israeli military planners reportedly  have been surprised that Russia hasn’t acted to curb Israeli operations in its new sphere of influence. But those close to President Vladimir Putin’s thinking were already predicting such a situation in September 2015, when the first Russian Sukhoi aircraft landed in Khmeimim.

FRANCE24/(AFP)

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22 responses to “Israeli military strikes Syrian anti-aircraft battery it says fired at jets while flying over Lebanon”

  1. Israel can no longer afford to keep threatening without responding.
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/be1a2fd1f6e1f121aaa2897312cf935b511d9b937c0d776f2f0bf401cb16ef7a.jpg
    On Monday, the IDF had an opportunity to fulfill the “open skies” policy while making it clear to the Iranians as well that the Israelis are dead serious.

  2. If it wasn’t for the treacherous vermin, Elias Murr who colluded in the war against Hezbollah/Lebanon in 2006 with IsraHell and the US, Lebanon would have advanced Russian weaponry and could deter the Israeli cancer off from our airspace. The likes of Hariri aren’t any different – they have prevented Lebanon from having an organized and strong army.

    Lebanese political officials also actively colluded with Israel’s most ardent ally to prevent the Lebanese army from obtaining advanced weaponry. When in 2008 the Russians offered to give the army a military package consisting of 77 T-72 tanks, ammunition and eventually MiG-29 fighter jets, in an effort to turn the Lebanese army into a national fighting force, Defense Minister Elias Murr, a close US ally, complained to the US ambassador. Murr said he had been “trapped” into accepting the gift, but would ensure that the army would not take it “before 2040.” Almost 10 years later, the Lebanese army is yet to accept delivery.

    https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/08/lebanon-army-offensive-isis-weapons-hezbollah-syria.html

    1. Rudy1947 Avatar

      Elias knew who would eventually make use of the weapons and was eager to keep Hezbollah’s problems separate from Lebanon’s. Smart guy.

      1. Do you entitle yourself to speak for Murr or do you work for him as his spokesperson?

        It has nothing to do with Hezbollah. A similar situation happened with Gemayel in the 1980s who wanted to organize and stenghten Lebanon’s army.

        Britain, via its puppet-state IsraHell, doesn’t want central powers in the Middle East and Africa. Hence why they went after Iraq, Libya and now Syria. They hoped to topple Syria to then move to Iran, Russia and then China. In case you still don’t know why Russia intervened in Syria.

        1. Rudy1947 Avatar

          Oh please, your slobbering over yourself. You need a bib.

          1. Let me know when you have something to say.

          2. Rudy1947 Avatar

            Do you want a napkin?

          3. No. I want you to quit raving.

          4. Rudy1947 Avatar

            Clean up after yourself, mustn’t untidy you know.

          5. This is where I must leave you alone again as I am not interested in having you waste more of my time. Enjoy the rest of your day.

          6. Rudy1947 Avatar

            Tata.

          7. He (it?) needs a good hard kick on its pimple-infested mug. Preferably with an Israeli army boot. But any other blunt instrument would probably do the job just as well. 🙂

    2. “77 T-72 tanks”

      That bunch of rusty crap would have surely deterred the Zionists, my retarded Arab (Armenian?) Nazi friend. 🙂

      1. Rusty or not, the point is that the M14 clan has continuously thwarted the shipment of armament to the Lebanese Army.

        The Zionist filth was repelled by Hezbollah after twenty years of illegal occupation. Israeli military officials called it a “humiliating defeat”. Hezbollah repeated the feat in 2006 when IsraHell’s IAF, IDF and 15,000+ army reserve troops could not do a thing against Hezbollah.

        ps – I am Lebanese.

  3. Rudy1947 Avatar

    “Hariri, in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica while on a visit to Rome to meet with his Italian counterpart, Paolo Gentiloni, said that he and the Shi’ite jihadist group have “put aside” their differences to serve the country.”

    At least Hariri identified Hezbollah correctly. So now Lebanon is truly a doormat and this time the house belongs to Iran.

    1. Hind Abyad Avatar
      Hind Abyad

      Farnaz Fassihi ✔ @farnazfassihi

      Reminder that #Hezbollah is a part of #Lebanon’s government. Hariri became Lebanon PM only after making peace w/Hezbollah. https://twitter.com/erinmcunningham/status/889930525401645058

      4:07 PM – Jul 25, 2017
      2 2 Replies 8 8 Retweets 9 9 likes

    2. Hind Abyad Avatar
      Hind Abyad

      Farnaz Fassihi ✔ @farnazfassihi

      Reminder that #Hezbollah is a part of #Lebanon’s government. Hariri became Lebanon PM only after making peace w/Hezbollah. https://twitter.com/erinmcunningham/status/889930525401645058

      4:07 PM – Jul 25, 2017

      2 2 Replies 8 8 Retweets 9 9 likes

      1. Precisely, my Arab Nazi friend. (Official) Lebanon = Hezbollah.

        1. She is Canadian! ????

          1. She’s to Canada what a bedbug is to the sofa. 🙂

    3. ‘“put aside” their differences’

      Spot the differences on the Bristol Stool Chart:

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_stool_scale

      1. Rudy1947 Avatar

        LOL.

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