The Israeli military says it has shot down an Iranian drone that infiltrated the country and has struck Iranian targets in Syria that launched it.

The military says that as part of the unusual event early Saturday one of its F-16 jets crashed in northern Israel.

The military says the pilots abandoned the aircraft and were safe. It says sirens sounded in northern Israel as a result of the anti-aircraft fire from Syria.

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said Iran was "responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty."