Syrians fire on Israeli fighters

Press, 21 January 1982, Page 6

Syrians fire on Israeli fighters

NZPA-Reuter Beirut Syrian peace-keeping forces in East Lebanon and Palestinian guerrillas iri the south were both reported to have fired missiles at Israeli Air Force planes yesterday.

The incidents could revive a crisis involving Syria, the Palestinians, and the Israelis which has been held in check since last July. The State-run Beirut Radio said Syrian troops fired two Soviet-made missiles at Israeli planes over Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. The missiles exploded without hitting the planes, it said. In South Lebanon, Palestinian sources said guerrillas fired three shoulder-launched missiles at four Israeli military aircraft flying low over the Sidon area. Travellers from the frontier area with Israel said a number of Israeli tanks and rocket launchers had

been moved across the border. Israeli forces have free access to the strip of southern Lebanon controlled by the Right-wing militiamen led by Major Saad Haddad. Tension between Syria and Israel and in South Lebanon has been rising since Israel annexed the Syrian Golan Heights last month. Syrian newspapers and Palestinian officials have accused Israel of planning an attack into South Lebanon. A crisis flared between Syria and Israel last year over Syria’s stationing of anti-aircraft missiles in the Bekaa Valley and was followed by two weeks of fierce clashes between Israelis and Palestinian guerrillas in the south. The fighting ended with a cease-fire on July 24 which an American special envoy, Philip Habib, and Saudi Arabia helped to negotiate.