Videos: Syrian Anti-Air Defenses Engage Israeli Fighters Over Damascus
20:19 GMT 19.08.2021 (Updated: 23:46 GMT 19.08.2021)
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Syrian state television reported late Thursday night that air defenses in Damascus had engaged several projectiles fired by Israeli fighter aircraft over the city.
Video posted on social media showed several incoming projectiles being intercepted by anti-air missiles of an unknown type as fighter jets roar overhead.
SAA AD activity, #Damascus #Syria pic.twitter.com/pEkPqQ11Sb
— Aleph א (@no_itsmyturn) August 19, 2021
طيران الاسرائيلي فوق دمشق pic.twitter.com/n1CJm7MvO0
— Nour abo hsn (@nourabohsn) August 19, 2021
The fighters were spotted a few minutes before contact over Damascus while flying low over the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon.
Israeli Air Force activity noted over #Lebanon before strikes in #Syria. pic.twitter.com/g8uB9DIN2T
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) August 19, 2021
כמו תמיד הסורים טוענים שיירטו את הטילים של חיל האוויר הישראלי. כמו תמיד בדרך פלא הטילים מגיעים ליעדים. pic.twitter.com/QLTWbpDjsz
— Or Heller אור הלר (@OrHeller) August 19, 2021
"As always, the Syrians claim to have intercepted the Israeli Air Force missiles. As always in a miraculous way the missiles reach the targets," he quipped. The Syrian defense ministry has made no comment as of yet about how many of the projectiles it believes it intercepted.
Another Israeli journalist from Kan 11 public broadcasting station noted that several airline flights in the region suddenly diverted course at the time of the Israeli strikes.
שתי טיסות מסחריות, אחת של פגסוס מאיסטנבול לביירות (PC862) והשנייה של בריטיש מלונדון לעמאן (BA312), ביצעו מעגלי המתנה בזמן התקיפה. כמובן שייתכן ורק מדובר בצירוף מקרים pic.twitter.com/4MXt03sWeg
— איתי בלומנטל Itay Blumental (@ItayBlumental) August 19, 2021
The strikes have come on the night of Ashura, a day in the Muslim calendar holy to both Shiites and Sunnis, during which the death of Hussein ibn Ali on the battlefield of Karbala in 680 CE is mourned and commemorated.
The Israeli Defense Forces have made no official comment confirming the strikes as of yet, and typically don't when their attacks on Syria fail. Jerusalem claims its airstrikes against Syria, with which it has no peace treaty or even diplomatic relations, are aimed at alleged Iranian targets it claims are intended to attack Israel.
