US jet took off from base in Jordan to intercept Iranian airliner in Syria: media

Monday, 27 July 2020

US jet took off from base in Jordan to intercept Iranian airliner in Syria: media

By News Desk -2020-07-26

A pair of U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles fly over northern Iraq after conducting airstrikes in Syria

BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:45 P.M.) – New details about the U.S.’ interception of Mahan Air plane have been released by the Iranian media this week, including the origin of the American jets that were involved.

According to Al-Alam TV, the U.S. F-15 jets took off from the Azraq Airbase in Jordan and intercepted the Iranian airliner in the Homs Governorate on the night of Thursday, July 24th.

The Al-Alam report stated that this base is the same one that was used by the drone that carried out the assassination of the late commander of the Quds Force, Major General Qassim Soleimani, on January 3, 2020 near Baghdad International Airport.

The sources indicated that the two American fighters intercepted the Iranian plane once over the Al-Tanf region in Syrian airspace and another near the Lebanese-Syrian border.

They said that this indicates that the two American fighters were targeting the plane or pushing it into a trap that would result in the Syrian air defenses shooting down the aircraft.

This theory was first introduced by the Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations, Dr. Bashar Al-Ja’afari, and it has since been referenced several times by the Iranian media.

The U.S. has not commented on these claims from Iran and Syria; however, the U.S. Central Command (Centcom) did say that the interception only involved one jet and it was done so to protect the American troops in Al-Tanf.