Iran commander declines comment on report of Israeli interception of drone

ANKARA - 10 February 2018: The deputy head of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards Corps declined to comment on reports that Israel had intercepted an Iranian drone launched from Syria on Saturday, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

"We cannot confirm this report on the drone because Israelis are liars ... if Syrians confirm it, Iran will confirm it as well," Brigadier General Hossein Salami said, according to Tasnim.

Israel said it launched air strikes against air defences and Iranian targets in Syria on Saturday and the Syrian army claimed to have hit an Israeli F-16 that crashed in northern Israel in a major escalation of tension.

The Israeli military said the F-16 jet crashed during a mission to strike Iranian drone installations in Syria, where Iranian and Iran-backed forces have established a major foothold while fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

Israel said it had sent its jets into Syria after shooting down an Iranian drone flying over Israeli territory earlier on Saturday. Israel said its warplanes came under fire in Syria, though it was still unclear why the jet had come down.

Iran's Foreign Ministry rejected as "ridiculous" reports that Israel had intercepted an Iranian drone launched from Syria, state TV reported.

"Reports of downing an Iranian drone flying over Israel and also Iran's involvement in attacking an Israeli jet are so ridiculous ... Iran only provides military advice to Syria," TV quoted Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi as saying.