IAF sends fighter jets to Israeli-Syrian border
Syrian aircraft detected flying over Syrian part of border. After determining planes were not engaged in hostile activity, Israeli jets return to their base
After determining that the Syrian aircraft were not engaged in hostile activity, the IAF warplanes proceeded to return to their base safely. Tens of thousands of hikers visiting the Golan Heights at the time of the incident were not evacuated.
Sending IAF jets after abnormal aerial activity over Israel's border is a standard operating procedure in the IDF.
Last Saturday, during the holyday of Yom Kippur, the IDF sent IAF fighter jets after a Syrian aircraft that disappeared from IDF radar. According to IDF sources, the Syrian aircraft was later found on the Syrian side of the border, after it had crashed.
The IAF jets found no evidence of the aircraft attempting an attack and proceeded to return from their mission safely. Sending IAF jets after unidentified aircraft which fall off the radar is a standard method of operation in the IDF, the sources said.
On Sunday, roadblocks were set up in the southern Golan Heights for fear that an unidentified person had infiltrated Israel from Syria.
The nearby communities were informed about the incident, but shortly afterwards it was determined that no infiltration took place. The IDF's Spokesperson's Office said in response that this was not an unusual incident.
The recent incidents were the height of the recent tensions between Israel and Syria, following Israel's reported breach of Syrian airspace a few weeks ago and Syrian President Bashar Assad's statements regarding "the option of war".
