Israeli military strikes anti-aircraft battery in Syria
JERUSALEM — The Israeli military said it struck and destroyed an anti-aircraft battery deep in Syria on Monday after it had opened fire on Israeli jets flying over Lebanon — a rare incident of Syrian forces targeting Israeli planes since the civil war began in 2011.
The strike came as Russia’s defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, was visiting Israel. Moscow is one of the staunchest supporters of the Syrian government and Russian forces have helped President Bashar Assad’s troops score significant victories in the war.
Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said Israeli planes were on a routine reconnaissance mission near the Lebanese-Syrian border when they came under fire. They were not hit and returned to base safely.
In response, Israel hit a Syrian anti-aircraft battery about 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of Damascus and “incapacitated” it, he said. Anti-aircraft fire has been deployed before against Israeli jets since the civil war began in 2011, but it is rare.