A Syrian fighter jet has been shot down by Patriot missiles after flying two kilometres into Israeli airspace, according to the IDF.

Air defence sirens were sounded near the Golan Heights border with Syria on Tuesday morning and two interceptor missiles launched to intercept the Russian-made Sukhoi jet, the Israeli military said.

The Syrian government admitted one of its jets had been shot down, Sky News Arabia reported, but claimed it had been flying in Syrian airspace.

النظام السوري يقر بسقوط طائرة تابعة له بنيران إسرائيلية

— سكاي نيوز عربية-الآن (@SkyNewsArabia_B) July 24, 2018

Photographs shared on social media showed two vapour trails across the blue sky, apparently left by the rockets.

Witnesses reported hearing the sound of explosions shortly after the missiles were launched.

It was the second such incident in as many days, after missiles were launched to intercept two incoming Syrian rockets on Monday.

The Syrian rockets fell short and did not reach Israeli-controlled territory.