JERUSALEM — The Israeli military shot down an Iranian drone thatinfiltrated the country early Saturday before launching “large-scaleattack” on at least a dozen Iranian targets in Syria. Israel called it a“severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty.”
The military said its planes faced massive anti-aircraft fire from Syriathat forced two pilots to abandon an F-16 jet that crashed in northernIsrael. One pilot was seriously wounded and the other lightly.
The military called the drone infiltration a “severe and irregularviolation of Israeli sovereignty” and said Iran would be held responsiblefor its outcome, marking a dramatic escalation in tensions along itsnorthern border.
“This is a serious Iranian attack on Israeli territory. Iran is draggingthe region into an adventure in which it doesn’t know how it will end,”Israel’s chief military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis, said in aspecial statement. “Whoever is responsible for this incident is the one whowill pay the price.”
The Israeli military then carried out what it called a “large scale attack”against Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria.
The military said it struck 12 targets including three aerial defensebatteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran’s militaryestablishment in Syria. During the attack, anti-aircraft missiles werefired toward Israel jets triggering sirens that were sounded acrossnorthern Israel.
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman was convening the top brass at militaryheadquarters in Tel Aviv to discuss a further response.
Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said Iran was “responsible forthis severe violation of Israeli sovereignty” and that the military was“fully prepared for further action.”
Syrian state TV quoted a military official saying Syrian air defenses hitmore than one Israeli plane. The official said the Israeli raids hit a basein the country’s central area, and called it a “new aggression.”
Later, Syria state TV said its air defenses responded to new Israeli raidsnear the capital Damascus.
Israel has long complained about the involvement of archenemy Iran, andIranian proxy Hezbollah, in the Syria war. The Shiite allies have sentforces to back Syrian President Bashar Assad, who appears headed towardvictory after years of fighting. Israel has said it will not accept apermanent military presence by Iran and its Shiite allies in Syria,especially near the Israeli border.
Israel has mostly stayed out of the fighting in Syria, wary of being drawninto fighting between forces that are all opposed to it.
Israel has been warning of late of the increased Iranian involvement alongits border in Syria and Lebanon. It fears Iran could use Syrian territoryto stage attacks or create a land corridor from Iran to Lebanon that couldallow it to transfer weapons more easily to Hezbollah.
The Israeli Cabinet recently held a meeting on the Golan Heights near theborder with Syria to highlight to new threats.
Israel has shot down several drones that previously tried to infiltrate itsterritory from Syria. The targeting of Iranian sites in response, however,mark an escalation in the Israeli retaliation. The military confirmed thatthe initial target in Syria — the unmanned aircraft’s launch components —was successfully destroyed. Israel says it has the Iranian drone in itspossession. – Agencies