Despite the contrasting versions between Israel and Syria about the precise location of the Sukhoi jet when it was hit by a Patriot missile, and Damascus' insistence that it hadn't come near the demilitarized zone on the Golan Heights – it seems officials in Israel are also intimating, after the fact, that the Syrian plane had no intention of attacking Israel.
However, with Iran still trying to settle the score with Israel for attacking its forces in Syria, and with a hostile warplane taking off from the T4 air base, partly manned by Iranian troops, and flying at high speeds toward Israel – Israel's anti-aircraft battery operators can justifiably ill afford the gamble, not after Tehran's threats.
Moreover, the fact that Syrian and Russian jets have carried out numerous bombing runs in recent days near the border, in an effort to swiftly defeat the rebels in the country's southwest, means Israel can hardly ignore the potential dangers.
With that, it's obvious to everyone that the quick fall of the Daraa province in recent weeks and the Syrian arm's rapid advance toward Israel's border on the Golan, has exponentially heightened the IDF's readiness and considerably exacerbated anxieties in Jerusalem. At the current pace after the fall of Daraa, taking Quneitra – which literally touches the Israeli border – is only a matter of days or weeks.
Israel's position regarding the return of the Syrian army to the Golan Heights was made clear to all the relevant parties. It insists on strictly upholding the 1974 armistice and will have a zero-tolerance policy toward any violation of the agreement. In this context, downing the Syrian jet on Tuesday could be viewed as a reminder of Israel's determination to preserve its red lines on the Golan at all costs.
The issue is that even if the Syrian army adheres to honoring the armistice agreement – Israel's main problem was and remains the presence of Iranian forces in Syria. Although an official Russian source on Tuesday denied that Israel had rejected Moscow's offer to keep the Iranians 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the Israeli border, everyone understands that this offer isn't satisfactory. It will enable the Iranians to continue solidifying their foothold in Syria and station long-range missiles on its soil, and it will not prevent pro-Iranian elements – for instance, Hezbollah and Shiite militias – from embedding themselves within the Syrian army and taking up positions on the other side of the border fence.
To be sure, Russian President Vladimir Putin is not a huge fan of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but the Russians, as of now, are apparently unwilling to clash with the Iranians and demand their complete withdrawal from Syria. Under these circumstances, Israel's self-proclaimed commitment to keeping Iran out of Syria isn't a simple prospect nor is it easy to implement. A Gulf state newspaper with good access to Israeli sources reported on Tuesday that the IDF is ready to bomb the border crossings between Iran and Iraq, and between Iraq and Syria, to disrupt the "land corridor" of weapons transfers from Iran to Syria. This entire endeavor will be fraught with difficulties and dangers.
