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Israel Shoots Down Syrian Plane that Violated Airspace

  • Carrie Dedrick Religious persecution, missions, Christianity around the world
  • Updated Sep 23, 2014

Israel reportedly shot down a Syrian warplane after it flew into the Golan Heights airspace. The plane had crossed the battle lines of Syria’s civil war and may have flown into Israel’s territory by mistake. 

The incident was the first time in 30 years that Israel downed a Syrian plane. 

The pilot bailed out of the plane at the time of the shooting. 

Syria has called the shooting an act of aggression but Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon defended the act. Israel “will not allow any element -- neither a state nor a terrorist group -- to threaten our security and violate our sovereignty,” he said. 

Israeli authorities reported that the plane crossed into the Israel-controlled airspace by mistake; Yaalon alluded to the possibility as well when he said that Israel would respond to threats of national security “whether they stemmed from a mistake or were deliberate.” 

Publication date: September 23, 2014