‘Electronic attack’: Syrian air defences shoot at phantom missiles after radar malfunction
Military commander attributed the malfunction to ‘a joint electronic attack’ by Israel and the United States targeting the Syrian radar system
Syrian state media on Tuesday retracted reports of overnight missile attacks, saying its air defences had been activated after a “false alarm”.
State TV earlier reported that anti-aircraft defences had shot down missiles fired at two military airbases in what it branded as an “aggression”.
The reports came just a few days after the United States, Britain and France conducted airstrikes targeting alleged chemical weapons facilities in Syria, in retaliation for a suspected chemical weapons attack that they blamed on the Syrian government.
A commander in the regional military alliance that backs the Syrian government attributed the malfunction to “a joint electronic attack” by Israel and the United States targeting the Syrian radar system.
The issue had been dealt with by Russian experts, the commander said.