Israeli and Syrian forces battled in the air and on the ground for almost eight hours today. The fighting that raged along the entire 50-mile Golan Heights front was described as the heaviest in that sector since the June, 1967 war. Israeli jets shot down three Syrian MIG-21 interceptors during an air battle this morning and Israel conceded the loss of one jet whose pilot was seen bailing out over Syrian territory. There was no confirmation of reports that the jet was an American F-4 Phantom. One Israeli officer was killed in the ground action that involved heavy artillery and tanks. A military spokesman dismissed Damascus claims that Syrian fighters destroyed seven Israeli jets including three Phantoms and one French-built Mirage to two Syrian planes downed. “We lost one, just one,” the Israeli spokesman said.
Officials here acknowledged that today’s fighting was opened by Israeli forces in retaliation for the recent escalation of attacks by Syrian regulars on Israeli positions in the Golan Heights. The Israeli air and artillery strikes were concentrated on 15 Syrian artillery batteries and seven anti-aircraft batteries in the Rafid area in the central Golan Heights. A military spokesman said two-and-a-half hours after the battle first erupted today a flight of 30 Syrian jets challenged Israeli planes. The Syrian planes fled after their three first lines MIG interceptors were shot down and the air and ground assaults on Syrian positions continued, the spokesman said.
Israel sources said it had become clear in recent days that the Damascus Government was determined to “heat up” the Golan region, either on its own initiative or at the behest of President Nasser to take the pressure off the Egyptian front. He said the Syrians have been employing their regular Army rather than El Fatah and other guerrillas to attack Israeli outposts. Two guerrillas were killed in the central Golan Heights last night in a skirmish with an Israeli Army patrol. The encounter took place near Hispin. Two Russian-made Kalachnikof assault rifles were found on the bodies along with grenades. There were no Israeli casualties.
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