BROKEN GLASS BEING SWEPT FROM THE STREETS OF HAIFA; SCHOOLCHILDREN LOOKING ON; GLASS BEING CLEARED FROM SHOPWINDOWS; STOCK BEING MOVED; SHOPKEEPERS TALKING.




Initials CG/V/AE/OS



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: SHOP AND RESIDENTIAL WINDOWS SHATTERED ALL OVER HAIFA YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) AS AN ARAB JET FIGHTER BROKE THE SOUND BARRIER OVER THE CITY. IT WAS THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF AN ENEMY AIRCRAFT OVER AN ISRAEL CITY SINCE THE 1967 SIX-DAY WAR.

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE RUSHED INTO THE STREETS AS THE LONE, SOVIET-MADE MIG 21, APPARENTLY COMING FRO SYRIA, PRODUCED A SONIC BOOM WHICH SHATTERED DOZENS OF WINDOWS.

THERE WAS NO REPORT OF PANIC, AS MOST RESIDENTS THOUGHT THE JET WAS AN ISRAELI PLANE UNTIL THEY HEARD THE NEWS. ACCORDING TO A MILITARY SPOKESMAN, THE MIG FLEW BACK EAST IN THE DIRECTION OF SYRIA WITHOUT OPENING FIRE OR DROPPING ANY BOMBS.

MORE THAN 30 CITIZENS AND SHOPKEEPERS OF HAIFA REPORTED DAMAGE TO THEIR HOMES, MAINLY BROKEN WINDOWS. THE LOW-LEVEL BOOM FOLLOWED THREE SEPARATE SORTIES BY ISRAELI JETS OVER ARAB GUERRILLA POSITIONS.

TODAY (FRIDAY) IT WAS REPORTED THAT IN RETALIATED LOW-FLYING ISRAELI JETS SWOOPED OVER DAMASCUS AND FOUR SYRIAN CITIES, SETTING OFF MULTIPLE SUPERSONIC BOOMS.