Syrian air defenses shoot down Israeli warplane, following Israeli airstrikes on military positions in Homs

DAMASCUS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian air defenses shot down an Israeli warplane, which was one of four Israeli war jets carrying out airstrikes on Syrian military positions in the central province of Homs before dawn Friday, the Syrian army said in a statement, adding that the targeted warplane fell down inside the Israeli airspace.