Over the weekend, a new chapter has opened in Syrian civil war that has been raging for six years now and gave birth to the dreaded terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) with the more active involvement of Israel and escalated the conflict between Syria and Iran.
The event began early on Saturday morning, when an advanced Iranian drone took off from T4 airbase in Syrian province of Homs, which allegedly entered into Israel’s airspace, which was then spotted by Israel and was intercepted near the town of Beit She’an by an Apache attack helicopter after it had flown 1.5 minutes into Israeli territory.
The event escalated when Israel sent an F-16 fighter jet to strike at the launch site of the drone. The fighter jet met with massive anti-aircraft firing. Over 20 missiles were reportedly fired at the F-16 jet, which was hit and crashed. This led to an extensive retaliation by Israel with additional strikes against both the Syrian missile batteries and Iranian military targets.
It is important to note that this is the first time an Israeli jet was downed in a combat in more than three decades.
On Sunday, Israeli Maj.-Gen. Yoel Strick warned that while Israel is not interested in escalating the situation, the IDF would not allow an Iranian presence in Syria, “Those who cross the border will, on any level, receive an appropriate response. Iranian involvement in the region is a disturbing threat to Israel and the entire world. Iran wants to create a front command in Syria – we will not allow it…..We are not inclined toward escalation, but we have high-level capabilities and we will not hesitate to use them”.
While Iran denied accusations made by Israel over its involvement in the downing of Syrian jet, an Iranian commander threatened Israel against further escalation. The commander said that Iran would create hell for the Zionist regime by destroying all the U.S. bases in the area. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said, “The claim about the flight of an Iranian drone and Iran’s involvement in the downing of a Zionist fighter jet is so ridiculous that it does not merit a comment”. He added that Iran is present in Syria at the request of the legitimate and lawful government.
Direct confrontation between Israel and Iran in Syria, escalates the raging civil war to a whole new level.
