TEL AVIV (Sputnik) — The Syrian Army command said in a statement it downed one of four Israeli Air Force jets that had violated its airspace and purportedly targeted Syrian units near Palmyra.
"As far as we know, in none of the stages was the safety of the Israeli Air Force planes and Israeli citizens compromised," an IDF spokesperson said when asked for comment.
Earlier in the day, the Israeli military told Sputnik that its combat planes were targeted by missiles after they had attacked targets in Syria. However, the incident allegedly did not result in any damages or casualties on the Israeli side, according to the source.
After the statement by the Syrian Army, Israeli military reiterated that that none of its planes had been damaged.
Last month, it was reported that Israeli military aircraft conducted an airstrike on the Syrian government forces stationed in the western countryside of Damascus near the Lebanese border.
In January, Israel bombed a military airport near Damacus. A Syrian official told Sputnik that it was done "to encourage and support terrorists". Damascus vowed repercussions.
In December, Syria allegedly downed an Israeli warplane and an unmanned aerial vehicle over the southwestern province of Quneitra. The IDF denied these claims.
The civil war in Syria has been lasting for around six years with government troops fighting against numerous opposition factions and terror organizations such as al-Nusra Front and Daesh, outlawed in Russia.
The nationwide Syrian ceasefire regime was introduced on December 30, 2016. Terrorist organizations are not part of the ceasefire.
