JERUSALEM: Israel struck a dozen Syrian and Iranian targets inside Syria onSaturday in “large-scale” raids after an Israeli fighter jet crashed underfire from Syrian air defences in a severe increase in tensions, themilitary said.

The confrontation was the most serious between arch foes Israel and Iransince the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011.

Israel’s raids came after it intercepted what it said was an Iranian droneentering its airspace from Syria, which it labelled an “attack.”

It marked the first time Israel publicly acknowledged attacking what itidentified as Iranian targets in Syria since the war began.

In response, Iran denounced Israeli “lies” and said Syria had the right toself-defence in response to Israeli strikes.

Separately, Iran issued a joint statement alongside the other main alliesof the Syrian regime – Russia and Lebanese group Hezbollah – denying theallegations regarding the drone.

The Russian foreign ministry called for “restraint” from all parties.

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus warned that Syria and Iranwere “playing with fire,” but stressed his country was not seeking anescalation.

“This is the most blatant and severe Iranian violation of Israelisovereignty in the last years,” Conricus told journalists in a phoneconference.

Israel said its reprisals after the exchange were “large-scale” raids thatattacked Syrian air defence systems and Iranian targets.

“Twelve targets, including three aerial defence batteries and four Iraniantargets that are part of Iran´s military establishment in Syria wereattacked,” a military statement said.

Israel has repeatedly warned in recent weeks against the presence ofIranian forces in neighbouring Syria.’Massive’ anti-aircraft fire

The Israeli pilots of the crashed F16 were alive, although one was severelywounded, the military said.

According to the Israeli military, the confrontation began with the droneentering its airspace before being intercepted by a combat helicopter.

Conricus said it was intercepted well inside Israeli territory over thecity of Beit Shean, near the Jordanian border.

He did not say whether the drone was armed or for reconnaissance, butalleged it “was on a military mission sent by Iranian military forces” froman “Iranian base” in the Palmyra area.

Eight Israeli aircraft then “targeted the Iranian control systems in Syriathat sent the UAV” and confirmed hits, according to Conricus.

The aircraft met “massive Syrian anti-air fire,” Conricus said, and the F16crashed afterwards in the Jezreel valley in northern Israel.

It was not clear if the jet crashed as a direct result of the Syrian fire.

According to the military, the pilots ejected, landed in Israeli territoryand were taken to a hospital.

Syria said its air defences repelled two Israeli raids on its militarybases in the centre of the country, hitting more than one warplane duringthe first.’Nobody tries us’

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor of theseven-year civil war, said the earlier Israeli raids had targeted severalmilitary bases in the east of the central province of Homs.

It said the bases are used by both Iranian and Russian military personneldeployed in support of the regime.

Syrian state media said the later raids targeted military positions in thesouth of the country.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said Tehran “believesSyria has the right to legitimate self-defence. To cover their crimes inthe region, Israeli officials are resorting to lies against othercountries.”

He added that “Iran does not have a military presence in Syria, and hasonly sent military advisers at the request of the Syrian government.”

Iran, Russia and Hezbollah – the Syrian regime’s main allies – issued ajoint statement calling Israel’s drone allegations “lies.”

It said the Israeli strikes had targeted drones used against “terroristorganisations, primarily Daesh”.

The statement vowed a “relentless response” to “all further aggression”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held a series of meetings inrecent months with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Iran´s influence inSyria and Lebanon.

Netanyahu has been seeking to persuade Russia to limit Iran’s presence nearIsraeli territory and to stop it from entrenching itself militarily inSyria.

In a meeting in Moscow last month, Netanyahu reiterated concerns of what hedescribed as attempts by Iran to establish a military presence in Syria andproduce weapons against Israel there.

“We won’t accept either of those and will act according to our needs,”Netanyahu said then.

Israel remains technically at war with Syria and occupies a swathe of thestrategic Golan Heights that it seized in the Six-Day War of 1967 and laterannexed in a move never recognised by the international community.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu took members of his security cabinet for a tour ofthe Israeli-occupied side, where they were briefed by the military.

Israel has sought to avoid direct involvement in the Syrian war, butacknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it callsadvanced arms deliveries to Hezbollah.

Several analysts said they did not expect a further escalation for now.

Ofer Zalzberg of the International Crisis Group said Russia should mediatesince “it is the only stakeholder which has strong relations with all sidestoday.”

But he said, “this incident signals a new phase in a way of the war inSyria.”

The Syrian regime is acting more boldly toward Israeli strikes because itfeels it has gained the upper hand in the civil war, he said. – APP/AFP