Israel denies Syrian claim of downing aircraft

JERUSALEM

Israel's military on Tuesday denied Syrian claims of shooting down an Israeli jet in the southwestern Syrian province of Quneitra.

“Overnight two surface-to-air missiles were launched from Syria after the mission overnight to target Syrian artillery positions,” the Israeli military said in a statement. "At no point was the safety of IDF [Israeli Defense Forces] aircraft compromised."

The statement followed shortly after claims by the Syrian Defense Ministry saying their "air defenses downed a military jet southwest of Quneitra and a reconnaissance aircraft west of Sasa town."

Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee announced earlier Tuesday that Israeli forces attacked a Syrian regime military position in central Golan Heights, in response to a shell that had fallen by mistake in the Israeli-held territory.

Last week, Israeli warplanes struck Syrian artillery positions after a shell hit the Israeli side of the Golan Heights.

The Golan Heights was occupied during the 1967 Middle East war and formally annexed by Israel in 1981 in a move that was never recognized internationally.

Since the signing of a 1974 disengagement agreement between Syria and Israel, a cease-fire line has separated the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from a Syria-administered buffer zone.

The agreement calls on both Syria and Israel to refrain from all military action in the area in line with UN Security Council Resolution 339 of 1973.

*Kaamil Ahmed contributed to this report from Jerusalem