After Syria strike, PM says, 'We will hit anyone who hits us' - Lilach Shoval, Shlomo Cesana, Daniel Siryoti and Israel Hayom Staff

by Lilach Shoval, Shlomo Cesana, Daniel Siryoti and Israel Hayom Staff 

Hours after Israel bombs Syrian anti-aircraft battery in response to attack on IAF jets over Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Syrian attempts to target Israeli jets are "unacceptable"

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs the weekly cabinet 

meeting in Jerusalem, Sunday

Photo: AP

Hours after Israeli jets bombed a Syrian anti-aircraft battery in response to missile fire at Israeli aircraft over Lebanon on Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a brief video statement saying Israel would not be deterred and that the Syrian attempt to target Israeli aircraft was "unacceptable."

No Israeli planes were hit in the Syrian attack, Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said. He said the counterstrike took place two hours after the attempted attack and "incapacitated" the anti-aircraft battery, located 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of Damascus.

Following the incident, Netanyahu said, "Our policy is clear – we will hit anyone who hits us. Today, they tried to attack our jets and that is unacceptable.

"The Israeli Air Force acted with precision and speed and destroyed that which needed destroying. We will continue to take action as needed to ensure Israel's security."

Speaking to reporters Monday, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis said, "We hold the Syrian regime responsible for any attack launched from its territory."

Manelis said the Israeli jets had been carrying out a routine reconnaissance mission in Lebanese airspace when they came under Syrian fire.

"We view this incident as an obvious Syrian provocation. We will not allow these types of provocations. If we sustain anti-aircraft fire during routine activity in the future, we will respond just as we did," he said.

Meanwhile, the Syrian army issued a warning Monday threatening Israel with "serious repercussions for its aggression."

The Syrian army issued a statement falsely claiming that "we struck one of the Israeli jets and forced it to flee, and Israel bombed us in retaliation." In reality, no Israeli aircraft were hit.

Lilach Shoval, Shlomo Cesana, Daniel Siryoti and Israel Hayom Staff

Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/2017/10/17/pm-we-will-target-anyone-who-targets-us/

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