Looks like the S-400 is some serious hardware.
My understanding of how the Israelis were conducting operations over Syrian territory was that they never entered Syrian air space. (They use precision glide bombs which have a range sufficient to hit much of the important Syrian targets.) It is not clear from the article but the clear interpretation is that the jet was shot down over Syrian air space but crashed in Israel. I suspect the plane never entered Syrian air space. This is probably why the Israelis have decided to take out missile systems inside Syria. They are likely targeting those systems that could shoot down planes in Israel.
Look for Iran to ramp up operations conducted from Lebanon. They will use the Lebanese as human shields.
You done messed up A-aron!
The drone was Iranian. It was against 12 Iranian targets the IAF struck.
“Russia’s concern relates primarily to the major Israeli offensive conducted Saturday against 12 targets, which also targeted two Iranian, Syrian and Hizballah concentrations – one outside Quneitra opposite Israel’s Golan border with Syria, and the other in the Daraa de-escalation zone in the south.”
https://www.debka.com/moscow-implies-israel-air-offensive-hit-iranian-syrian-hizballah-targets/
“Iran had recently armed its military units in Syria and its Hizballah proxy with a supply of its newest drone, Mohajer 6 (Migrant) which carries smart precision bombs.”
https://www.debka.com/israel-intercepts-iranian-drone-iaf-f-16-hit-striking-iranian-target-syria-pilots-eject-safely/
These are the drones that Iran is mass producing.
Some are suggesting that Israel push their F-35s up to the front. Should they lose an F-35, and it goes down inside Syria, Lockmart will have nightmare for years.
“The Syrian anti-air missiles which hit an Israeli F-16 early Saturday, Feb. 10, are part of a system operated with and commanded by the Russians from their Kheimim air base. The F-16 was shot down during an Israeli air strike against the Iranian facility at the T-4 air base near Palmyra, which launched a UAV into Israeli airspace that morning.”
“... another wave of Israeli air strikes was then launched against a broad range of Iranian and Syrian targets.”
https://www.debka.com/russian-troops-involved-iranian-syrian-clash-israel/
Was likely an SA-5 (S-200 system) that hit the plane - the missile’s range extends into northern Israel.
Seems like there were two waves not just the one with the loss of the F-16 - the first loss since the ‘67 war.
Iran is now threatening to attack all US bases. - Brig. Gen. Hossein Salami (aka The Big Salami).
https://www.debka.com/mivzak/iran-well-open-gates-hell-israel-attack-american-bases/
I've always heard that payback's a bitch!
Very interesting no media is covering this most significant escalation... sign of the times.
All we care about is sports, entertainment, and how bad trump is.
rude awakening inbound soon!
My wife’s flight just left Ben Gurion about 20 minutes ago and I’m so glad she’s out of there.
In retaliation for the F-16I loss, the IAF conducted a second wave of air strikes against six Syrian Arab Army and SyADF targets simultaneously, using F-16I and F-15I fighters. The targets were:
Syrian Arab Army 175th Missile and Artillery Regiment base, north of Izra, Daraa
SyADF 89th Air Defence Regiment base at Jabab, near Daraa
Syrian Arab Army ballistic missile base at Al-Kiswah, Damascus suburbs, where IRGC personnel are also present
104th Airborne Brigade of the Republican Guard in the Ad Durayj area in the countryside of Damascus
SyADF 150th Regiment, north of Aleqain, Daraa
SyADF 13th Brigade, north of Ad Dimas, northwest of Damascus
At least one IAI Harop (or IAI Harpy 2) attack drone was used as an anti-radiation weapon to target the IRGC drone C2 facility at T4 air base.
I fear we are getting sandbagged into another shooting war.