Syria’s air defense fired over 100 missiles against Israeli fighter jets operating in Syrian airspace, B’chasdei Hashem without striking a single plane, reveals Israel Air Force Chief Major-General Amikam Norkin. The air force commander added that the Iranians fired off 32 rockets towards Israel, not 20 as was published earlier. The senior officer made his comments at the Herzliya Conference, which was attended by many, including the air force commanders of over 20 nations.

Norkin spoke to the air force chiefs, “We tested what the Iranians are doing in our area. The Quds force was based in the T-4 Base located 250 kilometers from Israel. From the base, they tried attacking with drones which penetrated Israeli air space a number of months ago. After that incident, we monitored as they continued storing weapons in the base including air defense which we attacked last month”.

“In recent weeks, we have realized that Iran has sent long-range missiles and rockets to Syria, including launchers that we attacked north of Damascus, after which the Iranians launched 32 rockets into Israel,” he said.

“After that [the Iranian attack] we attacked over 20 Iranian targets in Syria. Unfortunately, Syrian air defense systems fired over 100 antiaircraft missiles at our planes and in response we destroyed their antiaircraft batteries,” Norkin said.

Then the commander of the IAF revealed a photo of an Israeli F-35 flying over Beirut, saying, “We attacked with the F-35 twice in the Middle East. We are the first in the world to have done this.”

He also explained “Regarding our defense systems; Arrow, Iron Dome, and David’s Slingshot, and Magic Wand, there is 85% success.

Norkin reviewed the 2007 attack against the nuclear reactor in Syria, and recently presented a video documenting it.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)