Russian MoD: Two «Israeli» Warplanes Attacked Syrian Airbase
Local Editor
"Israel" has yet to confirm the information, while local media reports suggested that the "Israel" Occupation Forces [IOF] spy jet had been spotted in the area.
The Russian Defense Ministry has stated that it had been two "Israeli" warplanes that had attacked a Syrian government T-4 airbase in the Homs province early on Monday.
"On April 9, from 03:25 to 03:53 Moscow time, two ‘Israeli' Air Force F-15 jets, carried out an airstrike by two guided missiles on the T-4 airfield from the Lebanese territory and without entering Syria's airspace."
According to the Russian military, the strikes were carried out from Lebanese airspace.
Five out of eight strikes, carried out by the "Israeli" F-15 jets, were destroyed by Syrian air defenses, the ministry said.
"Three missiles reached the western part of the airfield. There are no Russian [military] advisers among those injured."
While the "sraeli" authorities have abstained so far to comment on the incident, the country's Air Force had bombed the same airbase in the Homs province back in February.
The "Israeli" Embassy in Russia has refused to comment on the Russian Defense Ministry's data about the strikes on the Syrian T-4 airbase. "No comments," diplomatic mission's press attaché Alex Gandler told Sputnik.
The IOF had also refused to either approve or deny the statements made by the Russian Defense Ministry about the "Israeli" Air Force's involvement in the strikes, with IOF spokesman Jonathan Conricus telling Sputnik, "We do not comment on this."
Russian defense and foreign ministries have requested "Israel" to provide explanations for its airstrikes on the Syrian military facility, Russian Senator and former FSB General Vladimir Jabarov said.
At the same time, Al-Mayadeen TV channel reported that an "Israeli" spy plane had been spotted over the base at the moment of the April 9 strike.
Earlier in the day, Syria's SANA state news agency reported a missile strike on the T-4 airbase, suggesting that the US might have been behind the attack. The Pentagon, however, denied any involvement, saying that it hasn't conducted any airstrikes in Syria. It was also stated that Syrian Air Defense Force managed to intercept several rockets, although the strike caused casualties.
According to Al-Mayadeen broadcaster, after the attack, Daesh [Arabic acronym for "ISIS" / "ISIL"] terrorists attempted to launch an offensive in several districts of the Homs province.
The attack comes just a day after the US, the EU, as well as NATO member Turkey, have accused the Syrian government of using chemical weapons in Duma, Eastern Ghouta, after media reports, citing militant sources on the ground, about an alleged chlorine gas attack that, supposedly, killed dozens of civilians, had emerged. Damascus has strongly denied the claims, saying that it had warned that militants in the area had been preparing a provocation, involving chemical weapons' use.
Russia and Iran have slammed the claims, they believe are baseless, which had been spread by such controversial NGOs as the White Helmets, which has been busted of faking its reports, and warned against using the alleged chemical attack as a pretext for a military action against Damascus.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
