"It was a tragic situation in which Syrian armed forces hit a plane. We hope that Syrians will learn from this mistake and won't repeat it … We hope this won't happen again," the spokesman Jonathan Conricus told reporters.
On September 17, a Russian Il-20 spy plane was returning to a base in Latakia when it was accidentally hit by a Syrian missile targeting an Israeli jet. All 15 service members aboard died.
READ MORE: Israel Sheds Light on Contacts With Russian Military After Il-20 Downing
Russia blames Israel for causing friendly fire. It says Israel's warning of an air raid in the area was belated and accuses the IDF fighter of using the Il-20 as a cover. To protect its troops in Syria, Russia has deployed S-300 air defense systems to the base.
Over the last two years, Israel has struck Syria on multiple occasions, claiming that it targets alleged Iran-backed forces, including Hezbollah.
