Israel’s military on Tuesday denied Syrian claims of shooting down an Israeli jet in the southwestern Syrian province of Quneitra.
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The Syrian armed forces have shot down an Israeli military aircraft in the disputed territory of Golan Heights, according to state media.
“The IDF will not tolerate any attempt to harm Israel’s sovereignty and security of its citizens”, the statement said, adding Israel holds the Syrian government responsible for any weapons launched into its territory. “Nothing true about what they claim”, he added.
Syrian air defense forces claim to have shot at an Israeli warplane and a drone in response to Israeli air strike against a Syrian artillery battery on Tuesday.
Quneitra borders Israel, Jordan and Lebanon and includes the disputed Golan Heights, which have exchanged hands between Syria and Israel in a succession of wars.
The IAF attack was greenlighted after a mortar projectile launched from within Syria exploded in the Golan Heights, without causing deaths or material damage.
The Israeli air force responded by conducting missions overnight to target Syrian regime artillery positions. The Syrian government accepted the deal while the major opposition rebel groups rejected it, issuing some demands to secure their agreement.
The incident comes hours after a Russia/US-brokered nationwide ceasefire in Syria came into effect 7pm Damascus time (16:00 GMT) on Monday.
Israel occupied the Golan Heights during the 1967 Middle East war.
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Israel has sought to avoid being drawn into Syria’s complex war which is now in its sixth year, but it has attacked Syrian military targets when fire from the conflict spills over.
