<p>A passenger plane carrying 172 passengers from Tehran to Damascus made an emergency landing at the Russian-controlled Khmeimim air base on Thursday after coming under fire from Syrian air defences, Russia's defence ministry said on Friday.</p>.<p>The Syrian forces were responding to Israeli strikes that hit the suburbs of Damascus, Russian media cited spokesman Igor Konashenkov as saying.</p>.<p>The incident took place a month after a Boeing 737-800 operated by Ukraine International Airlines crashed shortly after take-off from Tehran, killing all 176 people on board. Iran later said it had been shot down unintentionally due to human error.</p>.<p>The Syrian defence ministry said on Thursday it had intercepted Israeli missiles over Damascus that were fired at military targets in southern Syria.</p>.<p>Israel has declined to comment.</p>.<p>The Airbus A320 had been coming into land at Damascus International Airport when it was forced to divert to the nearest alternative airfield, the Khmeimim air base.</p>
<p>A passenger plane carrying 172 passengers from Tehran to Damascus made an emergency landing at the Russian-controlled Khmeimim air base on Thursday after coming under fire from Syrian air defences, Russia's defence ministry said on Friday.</p>.<p>The Syrian forces were responding to Israeli strikes that hit the suburbs of Damascus, Russian media cited spokesman Igor Konashenkov as saying.</p>.<p>The incident took place a month after a Boeing 737-800 operated by Ukraine International Airlines crashed shortly after take-off from Tehran, killing all 176 people on board. Iran later said it had been shot down unintentionally due to human error.</p>.<p>The Syrian defence ministry said on Thursday it had intercepted Israeli missiles over Damascus that were fired at military targets in southern Syria.</p>.<p>Israel has declined to comment.</p>.<p>The Airbus A320 had been coming into land at Damascus International Airport when it was forced to divert to the nearest alternative airfield, the Khmeimim air base.</p>