Two Western intelligence sources said on Sunday that Israeli and American warplanes shot down most of the Iranian drones that passed through Syrian airspace during the Iranian attack at night before reaching their targets in Israel.
Reuters quoted the two sources as saying that air interception defenses shot down dozens of missiles and drones launched by Iran, flying over southern Syria in Daraa Governorate, the Syrian Golan and several locations in eastern Syria on the border with Iraq.
One of the sources said that the American air defenses were launched from the American base in Al-Tanf, on the Jordanian border, and in eastern Syria, where Washington maintains hundreds of forces in several air bases.
The source was unable to confirm whether US military aircraft and defensive destroyers deployed elsewhere in the Middle East were used in what he described as a “well-prepared” response that relied on accurate intelligence information about the timing and scope of the Iranian attack using a barrage of drones and missiles.
The two sources explained that the “Pantsir” air defense systems operated by Iran from several air bases inside Syria were not effective in shooting down any Israeli aircraft, without providing further details.
An intelligence source from the region said that US air defenses also helped Jordan shoot down at least 10 drones and missiles that entered the Kingdom’s airspace, while they were passing towards Jerusalem.
He added that Iranian drones coming from Iraq were also intercepted, flying over southern Jordan and the city of Aqaba, and were heading to the port of Eilat.
Iran launched the attack in response to an Israeli air strike on its embassy compound in Damascus on April 1, which resulted in the killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guard officers. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the attack.
