IDF shoots down Syrian fighter plane infiltrating Israeli territory

[riverwalker]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by petronius (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: Haaretz

The Israel Defense Forces' aerial defense system on Tuesday fired a Patriot missile and shot down a Syrian Sukhoi 24 fighter jet that infiltrated Israeli territory.

The jet was toppled over the Syrian side of the Quneitra border, after it had flown 800 meters west of the border into Israel and turned around.

The decision to down the jet was made after 1:20 minutes of flight; when the Patriot hit the plane, the Syrian pilots had already turned around and flown back into their territory.


Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.617329

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This could complicate things. It was shot down when it was back in Syrian territory?

[Fred Sanders]

1. By "infiltrating" you mean "straying" and by "fighter jet", you mean "trainer", clear that up.

It strayed less than a mile and got shot down as it turned around....trigger happy IDF is the fact.

[former9thward]

2. Syria and Israel are still at war.

There was a ceasefire in 1973 but they have never signed a peace agreement. A jet can get to Tel Aviv in minutes after entering from Syria. They had every right to shoot down the plane and would be negligent if they had not.

[R Merm]

3. Trainer?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhoi_Su-24

[George II]

4. "Infiltrating" does NOT mean "straying" and the Sukhoi SU-24 is NOT a "trainer":

The Sukhoi Su-24 (NATO reporting name: Fencer) is a supersonic, all-weather attack aircraft developed in the Soviet Union. This variable-sweep wing, twin-engined side-by-side two-seater carried the USSR's first integrated digital navigation/attack system.

It was fired upon when it was over Israeli air space.

Why do you have to mischaracterize the incident?

[Plucketeer]

7. Given the size of Israel and the speed an SU-24 is capable of....

...I'd give the IDF a pass. Let's say a Chinese plane violated our terrestrial airspace - then turns over land and heads back out to sea. How long would you have air defenses wait to see if the crew's intentions were benign? What if this two-seat ATTACK aircraft (not "trainer&quot was testing the IDF's responses? So - having "skated" once, they figure they could turn around AGAIN an head for a city or military installation.
I am NO fan of Israel - not in the slightest - but reality and common sense usually figure in before I start whacking on the keyboard.

[HoustonDave]

5. Straying?

This is one of the most strictly enforced borders in the world... one does not "stray" over it, any more than one strays over the White House - for the Syrians this has been a no-fly zone for over half a century. And the SU-24 is about as much a trainer as an F18 or F15 is.

[madokie]

6. The bully wins this round

not so sure of the ones sure to follow. I think the worlds population is beginning to see this Israel thing for what it is and once they do there will not be many left on Israel's side

[Ichingcarpenter]

8. So it flew over the Golan Heights

Syrian territory occupied by Israel not Israeli proper.

Interesting

[OnlinePoker]

9. You would think Syria would have more important things to do than test Israeli air defenses.

But I guess now that other nations are attacking rebel forces inside Syria, they figure they can spare a jet or two for their traditional enemy.

[RedstDem]

10. I'm probably Net and yahoos biggest critic

not to mention the rest of the rotten bunch, but, IMO a Syrian fighter jet flying over the Golan and getting shot at, is, at least an actual threat, they did what I would have, given the circumstances...

so i guess he makes at best, one correct decision out of every 500 or so...

[petronius]

11. Locking. Sorry, but this duplicates the topic in this post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014901430

Please continue the discussion in the older thread. Thanks!