July 2018, an SyAAF Su-22 which entered Israeli air space was shot down by two Israeli Patriot missiles. Other Syrian Su-22 jets were downed during the ongoing civil war. Yemen On 11 August 2009, Yemeni armed forces started Operation Scorched Earth in northern Yemen to fight the Houthis. The Yemeni Air Force backed the army with air raids on rebel-held positions. On 5 October 2009, a Yemeni Su-22 crashed, with the rebels claiming to have shot it down. Earlier on 2 October, the Yemeni revolutionaries said they shot down a "MiG-21" while again the military insisted technical problems caused the crash. On 8 November, a third Yemeni fighter aircraft, reported to be a Sukhoi, was destroyed. Again the military claimed it crashed due to technical problems, while the Yemeni rebels claimed they shot it down. The pilot ejected and was recovered by friendly forces. The Yemeni Air force once again used Sukhoi aircraft during the Arab Spring uprising. On 28 September 2011, a Yemeni Air Force Su-22 was shot down by tribesmen opposed to the rule of President Saleh. The government confirmed that rebels were responsible for the shoot-down, and that the pilot had been captured. On February 19, 2013, a Yemeni Su-22 on a training mission crashed for unknown reasons into Sana'a, killing 12 civilians. On May 13, 2013, another Yemen Su-22 on a training mission crashed in Sana'a, killing the pilot. Variants Sources Su-7IG (S-22I, "Fitter-B") Su-7BM variable geometry wing demonstrator. Su-17 (S-32, "Fitter-C") Initial production aircraft, with a dorsal spine similar to that of the Su-7U (carrying wiring and equipment). Powered by the same Lyulka AL-7F-1 engine as the Su-7. Manufactured between 1969 and 1973, with a total of 224 built. Su-17M (S-32M, "Fitter-C") New Lyulka AL-21F-3 engine, new navigation and attack computer. The Su-7BMK's SRD-5M ranging radar is retained. Twin pitot tubes, angle of attack vane, single brake parachute. Variable-position intake centerbody providing maximum speed of Mach 2.1. This version first flew on 28 December 1971 with V. S. Soloviev at the controls. The export version was designated Su-20, and first flew on 15 December 1972 with A. N. Isakov at the controls. The Su-17M was manufactured between 1972 and 1975, and entered service in 1973. The Su-20 was exported to Egypt, Poland, and Syria. The Su-17M was fitted with a modified fuselage and wing-sweep mechanism (which omitted the driveshafts). The fuel system consisted of a