The Israel-Syrian air battle over south Lebanon yesterday was deplored by the State Department because it “adds significantly to rising tensions in the area.” But the Department specifically refused to denounce Israeli deployment of aircraft across its border.
(Israeli planes shot down two Syrian aircraft which tried to intercept an Israeli airstrike on Palestinian terrorist bases in south Lebanon, according to an Israeli army spokesman. The Israeli strike was on terrorist training bases and staging posts in the Tyre and Nabatiya reas from which attacks were launched on targets in Israel, the spokesman said. During the attack, two Syrian aircraft approached from the northwest of the upper Galilee area and a dog-fight ensued between the Syrian and Israeli aircraft. The two Syrian aircraft were downed about five miles from Metullah. The last time Syrian planes were downed in a clash with Israeli planes was last Aug. 24.)
A State Department spokesman, Jack Cannon, said yesterday’s airstrike by Israel was “in conjunction with the Israel preemptive bombing raids on Palestinian positions in the area of Tyre and Nabatiya. The last 10 days have been a tense period in Lebanon. We deplore this latest development which adds significantly to stirring tensions. It is imperative that all parties involved exercise maximum restraint and avoid further armed action.”
When he was asked whether he was deploring Israel’s deployment in south Lebanon, Cannon replied: “No, I am deploring the situation that resulted in the military action that took place.”
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