A Russian surveillance aircraft was downed by Syria, killing all 15 on board, and Moscow on Tuesday blamed Israel for indirectly causing the crash over the Mediterranean and threatened to retaliate for the “hostile” act.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said the Il-20 reconnaissance plane was shot down over the Mediterranean on Monday by Syrian anti-aircraft missiles and accused Israeli fighter jets of “pushing” the aircraft into the line of fire.

The Israeli military expressed “sorrow” for the 15 deaths but said its four F-16 jets that had targeted a Syrian weapons facility in the coastal province of Latakia were back inside Israeli airspace by the time the Russian plane was hit.

It said Syria was wholly responsible because its military “did not bother to ensure that no Russian planes were in the air.”

Israel also said it would share information with the Kremlin to “review the incident and to confirm the facts in this inquiry.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to try to tamp down tensions between Russia and Israel by blaming the incident on “a chain of tragic accidental circumstances” and saying Moscow would focus on taking “steps that everyone will notice” to secure the safety of troops in Syria.

In a phone call with Putin, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that Syria was to blame and said Israel is “determined” to keep Iran from establishing a strong military presence in Syria.

The Israeli military said the facility attacked in Latakia was being used to “manufacture accurate and lethal weapons” that were about to be distributed on behalf of Iran to Hezbollah in Lebanon where they would be used to attack Israel.

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry accused Israel of alerting Moscow a minute before it began the operation, giving Russia little time to get its plane to safety.

“Using the Russian jet as a shield, the Israeli pilots put it in the fire of Syrian air defense systems,” spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said, according to Russian media. “This is absolutely out of line with the spirit of Russian-Israeli partnership. We reserve the right to take appropriate action in response.”

“We view the actions of the Israeli military as hostile,” he added.

The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Israeli Ambassador Gary Koren over the incident, and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told his Israeli counterpart, Avigdor Lieberman, that Israel was responsible.

Moscow said Israeli F-16 fighter jets carrying out the attack used the surveillance plane that was returning to base as cover to approach their targets without being fired upon by the Syrian missiles.

Konashenkov said the Israeli pilots “could not have failed to see the Russian aircraft, as it was coming in to land from a height of three miles. Nevertheless, they deliberately carried out this provocation.”

Russia said it had located the wreckage in the Mediterranean and a recovery operation was underway, including the retrieval of some bodies and parts of the plane.

With Post wires