DAMASCUS, 7 September 2007 — Syrian air defenses opened fire on Israeli aircraft after they violated Syrian airspace early yesterday, a Syrian military spokesman said, in a new development in cross-border tensions that have brewed for months.
The Israelis flew east from the Mediterranean Sea over the northern part of the country, broke the sound barrier and “dropped ammunition” over deserted areas of Syria, the spokesman was quoted as saying by the official Syrian Arab News Agency.
“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,” the spokesman said.
Israel’s Army spokesman declined to comment, saying under customary condition of anonymity: “We cannot discuss military operations.” Witnesses said the incident occurred in the Al-Abyad area near Syria’s northeast border with Turkey.
The Syrians did not say the aircraft struck targets, and it was not clear what the spokesman meant by dropping ammunition. Warplanes sometimes drop extra fuel to make the aircraft lighter and easier to maneuver.
Syrian Cabinet Minister Buthaina Shaaban, speaking on Al-Jazeera television’s English service, would not confirm that Israel had attacked Syria, but did say the aircraft violated the country’s airspace. “We are a sovereign country. They cannot do that,” said Shaaban.
The Syrian military spokesman did not specify whether the military used surface-to-air missiles or anti-aircraft artillery when confronting the aircraft.
“We warn the Israeli enemy government against this flagrant aggressive act, and retain the right to respond in an appropriate way,” the Syrian spokesman said.
Syrian Information Minister Mohsen Bilal said the government was “seriously studying the nature of the response,” but refused to indicate in an interview with Al-Jazeera television whether the reaction would be on the military or diplomatic level. He would not give any more details about the incident, but said it proved Israel’s policies are based on hostility. “Israel in fact does not want peace,” said Bilal. “It cannot survive without aggression, treachery and military messages.”
He said recent US aid of $30 billion over 10 years to Israel encouraged its government to “such arrogance that it delivered this morning message.”
Israeli defense officials have been concerned about an outbreak of hostilities, and had sent messages recently that the country is not interested in going to war, Israeli officials said.
Israel acknowledges flying over Lebanon routinely, but it is unclear how often its aircraft fly over Syria.
Israeli aircraft are believed to fly routine reconnaissance flights over the Golan Heights, in the south of the country, apparently to monitor Syrian Army moves near the disputed territory. But yesterday’s incident was reported over the other side of Syria, in the northeast near the Mediterranean.
Israeli counterterrorism expert Boaz Ganor said that if yesterday’s overflight occurred, it’s possible Israel was “collecting intelligence on long-range missiles” deployed by Syria in the north.
