Israel successfully shot down a Syrian jet fighter after it flew into Israeli territory early on September 23. Israel has repeatedly made clear it will only intervene in the Syrian civil war if Israeli sovereignty is challenged.
The Israel Defense Forces initial report of the incident was posted to its Twitter feed.
Moment ago, a Syrian aircraft infiltrated Israeli airspace. IDF’s Patriot air defense system intercepted the aircraft.
Initially reports suggested the intercepted object was an unmanned aircraft but later it transpired the plane was a military Sukhoi 24. The pilots were photographed ejecting from the aircraft.
The incident took place the morning after the United States and several Arab states launched air strikes against ISIS in Syria, although it is unlikely there is a connection between the two events.
Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon issued a Hebrew statement in response:
“This morning IDF air defense fighters shot down a Syrian fighter plane that approached Israeli territory in the Golan Heights in a threatening manner, and crossed the border into Israeli airspace. We have clarified this in the past and we emphasize it even now: we will not allow any party whatsoever, whether a state or a terrorist organization, to threaten us or to breach our security and our sovereignty. We will respond firmly to any such attempt, whether accidental or intentional. We are committed, first and foremost, to ensure the safety of the citizens of Israel, and we will use any means at our disposal to do so.”
The Israeli action is part of a broader commitment to defend the country from hostile elements, as former head of Israel’s Air Force Intelligence Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Ram Shmueli told a conference call organized by The Israel Project immediately after the incident.
“Israel faces an aerial threat from all over – not only from the north or the east. It can come from the west as we witnessed in the Lebanon War. We are very alert to drones, jet airplanes and even civilian airplanes that might be coming like a 9/11 scenario.”
Shmueli explained that Israel has minimal time to react are pointed out that Israel’s width is similar to the distance between Boston Harbor and Newton in Massachusetts.
[Photo: Freedom House / flickr]