BBC wrote:
Syria 'fires on Israel warplanes'
BBC breaking news graphic
Syria says its air defences have opened fire on Israeli war planes which had entered Syrian airspace.
The action took place "without causing human or material loss", according to the official Syrian news agency, SANA.
In a statement, Syria's Ministry of Defence said the incident happened close to Daaraa, in the south of the country.
Syria and Israel remain technically at war following the seizure by Israel of the Golan Heights in 1967.
The Israeli military says it is looking into the report of the incident.
Tensions between Israeli and Syria have been rising in recent months. Both countries' leaders have said their countries do not want a war, while accusing the other side of arming for a conflict.
Not that I care one way or the other, but I was under the impression that Israel and Syria remained at war following the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.
Oh, Hezbollah news station just reported that apparently the plane was "dropping ammunition in order to maneuver"
"what huge and loathsome abnormality was the Sphinx originally carven to represent? Accursed is the sight, be it in dream or not, that revealed to me the supreme horror - the Unknown God of the Dead, which licks its colossal chops in the unsuspected abyss, fed hideous morsels by soulless absurdities that should not exist" - Harry Houdini "Under the Pyramids"
"The goal of science is to substitute facts for appearances and demonstrations for impressions" - John Ruskin, "Stones of Venice"
Damascus: We fired on IAF warplane that violated Syrian airspace, dropped ammo
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent, and News Agencies
The Syrian army said Thursday that its air defenses fired on an Israel Air Force warplane that entered Syria airspace and "dropped ammunition," the country's official news agency reported.
The Israel Defense Forces said it would have no comment on the Syrian reports. "It is not our custom to respond to these kinds of reports," the IDF Spokesman's Office said in a statement.
Syrian air defenses fired at the incoming plane, which crossed into Syria after midnight local time, the agency said.
The Syrian Army spokesman, quoted by the official Syrian Arab News Agency, did not say how the military fired on the aircraft or where the incident happened, other than saying it occurred at midnight Wednesday night.
"We warn the Israeli enemy government against this flagrant aggressive act, and retain the right to respond in an appropriate way," the spokesman said.
"The Israeli enemy aircraft infiltrated into the Arab Syrian territory through the northern border, coming from the Mediterranean heading toward the eastern region, breaking the sound barrier," the Syrian spokesman said.
"Air defense units confronted them and forced them to leave after they dropped some ammunition in deserted areas without causing any human or material damage."
Al-Arabiya television reported that the air strike occured in north-eastern Syria, close to the border with Turkey.
A Syrian analyst told Hebzollah's Al-Manar television that the plane was likely dumping ammunition in order to maneuver, and was not carrying out a bombing raid.
The reported incident comes after months of growing tensions along the frontier and concerns that the escalation could result in war. Over the summer, Israeli and Syrian officials have repeatedly made announcements that they had no interest in hostilities.
Security official said late last month, however, that the IDF had decided that war with Syria is unlikely and was reducing its troop presence in the Golan Heights after months of cross-border tension.
The Israeli officials said recently that Syria's military had also reduced its war readiness, but offered no details as the exact steps taken by the Syrians are classified. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to divulge the information to the press.
In an interview Sunday night with Haaretz, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said he saw no reason for any forthcoming military conflict between Israel and Syria.
Quite odd, not sure what happened. The army radio is being quite for a change.
Brotherhood of the Bear | HAB | Mess | SDnet archivist |
Read on another site, BBC maybe, can't remember anyway there was quite the hype that the planes had broken the sound barrier. Wonder if pilot error put them in Syria by mistake, upon realizing this, they dropped their load and punched it to get out asap.
Syrians probably shot down one of their own planes.
"If scientists and inventors who develop disease cures and useful technologies don't get lifetime royalties, I'd like to know what fucking rationale you have for some guy getting lifetime royalties for writing an episode of Full House." - Mike Wong
"The present air situation in the Pacific is entirely the result of fighting a fifth rate air power." - U.S. Navy Memo - 24 July 1944
"We accidentally shot down one of our planes or fired at it"
or
"We scared off the imperialist capitalizt pig dog zionist aggressors with our brave air defenses"
"If scientists and inventors who develop disease cures and useful technologies don't get lifetime royalties, I'd like to know what fucking rationale you have for some guy getting lifetime royalties for writing an episode of Full House." - Mike Wong
"The present air situation in the Pacific is entirely the result of fighting a fifth rate air power." - U.S. Navy Memo - 24 July 1944
Besides, it isn't exactly out of character for the Israeli Air Force to enter other people air space uninvited. Some Israeli planes entering Syrian airspace, getting shot at, and then bugging out after dumping some ammo to maneuver really isn't implausible.
"Show me an angel and I will paint you one." - Gustav Courbet
"Quetzalcoatl, plumed serpent of the Aztecs... you are a pussy." - Stephen Colbert
"Really, I'm jealous of how much smarter than me he is. I'm not an expert on anything and he's an expert on things he knows nothing about." - Me, concerning a bullshitter
Gil Hamilton wrote:But what are you basing your claim on, Shep?
Besides, it isn't exactly out of character for the Israeli Air Force to enter other people air space uninvited. Some Israeli planes entering Syrian airspace, getting shot at, and then bugging out after dumping some ammo to maneuver really isn't implausible.
True, it's also interesting to note the Israeli goverment response isn't deny, it's "no comment." The entire goverment is no commenting on this, a large defense related press conferance today passed without a single word mentioning Syria. The focus is entirely on Gaza and the Kasam attacks.
Though slightly offtopic, I can't help but agree with that. While the incident with Syria is quite serious, Sderot/Gaza is a national embaressment.
Brotherhood of the Bear | HAB | Mess | SDnet archivist |
That NOS Guy wrote:That seems odd, it just seems wasteful for the Israelis to drop bombs in the middle of nowhere with no declared target. Let's see how this pans out.
It’s possible it was an armed reconnaissance mission, and they dumped bombs and drop tanks when they came under attack
I wouldn’t think too much of this whole thing, Israel have Syria have had numerous small exchanges of fire over the years, especially between aircraft. In fact in 2001 Israel shot down two Syrian MiG-29s in an extremely close range dogfight, after the MiGs approached a 707 ELINT aircraft. It was September 14th though, and so the world was not paying attention. Both sides actively covered the whole thing up.
Previously in July 2001 Israel also struck a Syrian radar station in Lebanon, and shortly after Syria hit back and knocked out an Israeli set on the Golan Heights, but once more the whole thing was covered up (especially the Syrian counter strike) and little reached the world media.
"This cult of special forces is as sensible as to form a Royal Corps of Tree Climbers and say that no soldier who does not wear its green hat with a bunch of oak leaves stuck in it should be expected to climb a tree"
— Field Marshal William Slim 1956
I wonder if it could actually be a Turkish AF plane that strayed by accident, and rather than admit accidentally taking a stab at "Muslim brothers" they decided to blame it on the Evil Zionists. Or they think it really was the EZ (tm).
All in all, it sounds like a navigation error by someone who bugged out upon realization. Israel certainly doesn't gain anything by buzzing Syria right now, since there are no immediate or high-profile confronttions going on --that I know of, at least...
Something about Libertarianism always bothered me. Then one day, I realized what it was:
Libertarian philosophy can be boiled down to the phrase, "Work Will Make You Free."
In Libertarianism, there is no Government, so the Bosses are free to exploit the Workers.
In Communism, there is no Government, so the Workers are free to exploit the Bosses.
So in Libertarianism, man exploits man, but in Communism, its the other way around! If all you want to do is have some harmless, mindless fun, go H3RE INST3ADZ0RZ!! Grrr! Fight my Brute, you pansy!
Or it could be a dickhead fighter jock who went to far buzzing the Syrians (which has happened before), or an armed recon mission, or any number of other things. What it doesn't sound like is a terribly big deal.
The Israelis and the Syrians poking each either their respective air forces doesn't strike me as a rare event. It always seems somewhat absurd to me about how often times these things devolve into a multimillion dollar game of "I'm not touching you! I'm not touching you!" but with jetfighters instead of fingers.
"Show me an angel and I will paint you one." - Gustav Courbet
"Quetzalcoatl, plumed serpent of the Aztecs... you are a pussy." - Stephen Colbert
"Really, I'm jealous of how much smarter than me he is. I'm not an expert on anything and he's an expert on things he knows nothing about." - Me, concerning a bullshitter
Speaking of buzzing, the Russians are at it again.
ASVS('97)/SDN('03)
"Whilst human alchemists refer to the combustion triangle, some of their orcish counterparts see it as more of a hexagon: heat, fuel, air, laughter, screaming, fun." Dawn of the Dragons
Sea Skimmer wrote:I wouldn’t think too much of this whole thing, Israel have Syria have had numerous small exchanges of fire over the years, especially between aircraft. In fact in 2001 Israel shot down two Syrian MiG-29s in an extremely close range dogfight, after the MiGs approached a 707 ELINT aircraft. It was September 14th though, and so the world was not paying attention. Both sides actively covered the whole thing up.
Previously in July 2001 Israel also struck a Syrian radar station in Lebanon, and shortly after Syria hit back and knocked out an Israeli set on the Golan Heights, but once more the whole thing was covered up (especially the Syrian counter strike) and little reached the world media.
Can you provide links to outside sources for these incidents, so I can be certain they're is not just ramblings about conspiracy theories?
Those gun nuts do not understand the meaning of "overkill," and will simply use weapon after weapon of mass destruction (WMD) until the monster is dead, or until they run out of weapons.
They have more WMD than there are monsters for us to fight. (More insanity here.)
Sea Skimmer wrote:
It’s possible it was an armed reconnaissance mission, and they dumped bombs and drop tanks when they came under attack
I wouldn’t think too much of this whole thing, Israel have Syria have had numerous small exchanges of fire over the years, especially between aircraft. In fact in 2001 Israel shot down two Syrian MiG-29s in an extremely close range dogfight, after the MiGs approached a 707 ELINT aircraft. It was September 14th though, and so the world was not paying attention. Both sides actively covered the whole thing up.
Previously in July 2001 Israel also struck a Syrian radar station in Lebanon, and shortly after Syria hit back and knocked out an Israeli set on the Golan Heights, but once more the whole thing was covered up (especially the Syrian counter strike) and little reached the world media.
The armed recon mission does make more sense among other possibilities. Thanks for the insight.
I wouldn't think too much of it either, as it's really no more then a footnote in the long list of bordeer skirmishes.
Sidewinder wrote:
Can you provide links to outside sources for these incidents, so I can be certain they're is not just ramblings about conspiracy theories?
Best site on air combat ever, and they even have former members of the Syrian military on their forums. Only a couple books published so far.
"This cult of special forces is as sensible as to form a Royal Corps of Tree Climbers and say that no soldier who does not wear its green hat with a bunch of oak leaves stuck in it should be expected to climb a tree"
— Field Marshal William Slim 1956
anyway there was quite the hype that the planes had broken the sound barrier. Wonder if pilot error put them in Syria by mistake, upon realizing this, they dropped their load and punched it to get out asap.
