IAF Scrambles Jets After Syrian Aircraft Near Border

Israel Air Force jets scrambled to the border with Syria four times on Friday morning, after Syrian fighter planes and one helicopter were spotted near the Israeli border.

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The army dispatched fighter jets to the north to deter the Syrian planes from the area. The Syrian aircraft pulled back after noticing the Israeli jets, although it was unclear whether they spotted the Israeli planes via radar or other means.

An Israeli military source said such incidents are not uncommon; however, multiple cases of Syrian planes detected within the span of a few hours aroused suspicion.

Channel 2 news reported that the Syrian planes were attacking rebel positions in the area.

The IDF Spokesperson's Unit, meanwhile, said it would not elaborate on air force operations.

IDF soldiers on Wednesday shot several Hezbollah fighters suspected of attempting to plant a bomb near the fence between Israel's Golan Heights and Syria, an army spokeswoman said.

The spokeswoman said the men were identified as Hezbollah members, and that one of them was hit after soldiers fired at them. No Israeli soldiers were hurt in the incident.

There has been an uptick of tension along Israel's northern borders over the past week. Last week, Hezbollah threatened to attack Israel in retaliation for an alleged Israeli air strike that hit one of its bases near the Lebanon-Syria border.