A pair of U.S. Air Force stealth fighter jets intercepted two Russian attack jets in Syria, an area off-limits to Russian jets based on a long-standing mutual agreement, a U.S. defense official told Fox News on Thursday.
During the incident, both American F-22 jets fired flares after cutting across the front of the Russian jets, a tactic known as ‘head-butting,’ meant to send a strong warning to an opposing warplane.
Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon confirmed the 40-minute long incident to Fox News, adding that at one point a Russian attack jet flew close enough to an F-22 that it had to aggressively maneuver to avoid a midair collision.
The incident took place Wednesday, east of the Euphrates River, the official said.
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