AMMAN – Most of the Iranian drones flying over Syria’s airspace during Tehran’s strikes overnight were downed by Israeli and US jets before reaching their targets in Israel, two Western intelligence sources said on April 14.

The aerial interceptions shot down dozens of missiles and drones fired by Iran that flew above southern Syria in Daraa province, the Syrian Golan Heights and several parts of eastern Syria on the border with Iraq.

United States air defences operated from the US base in al-Tanf, as well as along the Jordanian border and in eastern Syria, where Washington maintains hundreds of troops in several airbases, one source said.

He could not confirm whether US military aircraft and defence destroyers deployed in the Middle East were used in what he described as a “highly prepared” response – based on accurate intelligence on both the timing of Iran’s retaliation and its scope – using a swarm of drones and missiles.

Iran launched its attack in response to a suspected Israeli air strike on its embassy compound in Damascus on April 1 that killed officers of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the attack.

The Pantsir air defence systems that Iran operates from several airbases inside Syria were ineffective in downing any Israeli aircraft, both sources added, without giving further details.

A regional intelligence source said US air defences also helped Jordan to down at least a dozen drones and missiles that were flying over the country towards Jerusalem.

Iranian drones that came from the direction of Iraq and flew over southern Jordan and the city of Aqaba that were heading to Israel’s Eilat port were also intercepted, he added. REUTERS