Israel shoots down drone that 'came from Syria' as Iran warns of 'revenge' for officer killings

The Israeli army said it shot down an unidentified aircraft that crossed over from Syria on Sunday. 

Israeli "helicopters and fighter jets were deployed following an unidentified aircraft that seems to have crossed from the direction of Syria into Israeli territory", an army statement said.

"The aircraft was downed in an open area," it said, adding that the UAV did not pose a "threat" at any stage. A spokesperson confirmed to AFP that it was unmanned.

The army later announced on Monday morning that the craft had been found and would be examined. 

Earlier on Friday, an Israeli air strike near Damascus killed two members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), identified as military advisor Meddad Medqani and Milad Heidari. 

The IRGC vowed revenge against Israel for the strike, saying that Tehran "will undoubtedly respond to this crime".

During more than a decade of war in Syria, Israel has carried out hundreds of attacks against what it has described as Iran-linked targets in the country, as well as affiliates of the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

Tehran's influence has grown in Syria since it began supporting President Bashar al-Assad's regime in the civil war that began in 2011 sending over thousands of fighters and providing economic assistance.

Iran says its officers serve in an advisory role in Syria at the invitation of the regime while activist groups have accused Tehran's forces of committing major rights abuses and killing civilians.

Dozens of Revolutionary Guards members including senior officers have been killed in Syria during the war.