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Syrian Air Defense Systems Repel Yet Another Israeli Attack - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Syrian anti-aircraft defense systems have repelled yet another Israeli aerial attack, local media reported Saturday.
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Earlier in the day, the Israeli army said its helicopter downed an Iranian drone and struck Iranian targets in Syria, prompting fire from the Syrian air defense systems. As a result of the incident, one F-16 fighter jet came down with pilots able to eject.

According to the Telegram channel of the Syrian state television, the attacks were repelled over the Damascus province, however, it later deleted the information about the location.

READ MORE: Damascus Warns About 'Dangerous Consequences' of Israeli Attacks in Syria

Earlier in the day, Israel’s army said in a press release its helicopter had successfully intercepted the drone that flew into its airspace from Syria.

It is a second attack by the Israeli forces on Syria in a week. On February 7, Israeli military aircraft reportedly launched several missiles at a target located in the Damascus province of Syria in what has become the latest IDF attack on Syrian soil.

READ MORE: 'Israel is Definitely Violating Syria's Sovereignty' — Analyst

In response to an airstrike carried out by Israeli warplanes in the Damascus province, the Syrian Foreign Ministry has penned a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and another to the UN Security Council.

"Israeli attacks are a continuation of an aggressive and dangerous approach by Israel aimed at supporting terrorist groups, which helps the latter to prolong the crisis in Syria and raises their morale, which sunk due to the gains made by the Syrian army and its allies," the letters said.

Tel Aviv and Damascus, which have never signed a peace treaty, have repeatedly exchanged tit-for-tat attacks, with the latest incident taking place in early January, when the Syrian government army thwarted three Israeli missile attacks on Damascus countryside. Syria reportedly warned the Israeli side about the risks posed by such attacks.

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