ESCALATING

Israel Launches ‘Large Scale Attack’ in Syria

After its F-16 fighter jet was reportedly shot down.

The Israeli military on Saturday said it launched a “large scale attack” on Iranian positions in Syria, the most serious confrontation between the two sides since the start of the Syrian war. The move came in response to what Israel described as an Iranian drone intrusion in Israeli airspace. An Israeli F-16 fighter jet was also shot down during the reported border breach, leaving the pilots hospitalized, an Israeli military spokesman said. Amid escalating tensions, Israel warned Iran it is “playing with fire” and said it is “ready for various scenarios and will continue to act according to situation assessments.” Israeli military planes hit 12 targets in Syria, reportedly conducting two separate waves of airstrikes targeting posts maintained by Iranian-backed Hezbollah and Syrian government forces. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights cited unconfirmed reports of casualties among Syrian forces after the Israeli airstrikes. Central Military Media, an outlet that is allied with Syria’s military, called the Israeli strikes a “terrorist act” and warned of a “tough and serious response.”