Most dailies report that the Israeli army yesterday fired on a Syrian army vehicle yesterday, after another Syrian mortar shell landed on Israeli territory in the Golan Heights. The Daily Mail, Financial Times, Independent i, Metro, Telegraph, Guardian, Independent and the Times report the incident, noting that this was not the kind of warning shot fired by Israel earlier this week, but a direct hit on the source of fire. The Financial Times report notes Turkish concerns over the potential use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime. Meanwhile, the Evening Standard, Guardian and online editions of the Independent and Financial Times report the formation of a new Syrian opposition representative body, the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces. Some reports suggest that the new opposition framework is expecting western military or financial support at a donor conference which begins on Friday in London.

The Independent, its sister publication Independent i and the Telegraph online cover the continuing violence in the Gaza border region as rockets continued to land on southern Israel yesterday. Reports note that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu summoned foreign diplomats for a briefing in the town of Ashkelon, which lies within rocket fire range, to prepare them for Israel’s possible response, which has been the subject of intense debate among the country’s leaders.

On the diplomatic front, the Times, Telegraph, Independent and the online edition of the Financial Times report that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is set to ignore a telephone plea by US President Obama to PA President Mahmoud Abbas and will press ahead with a request to the United Nations General Assembly later this month to recognise the Palestinian delegation as a ‘non-member state.’ The Times online includes a story that claims that Iran is planning a large-scale round of military manoeuvres, involving some 8,000 troops. However, the article also notes that there are increasing signs that Iran is prepared to reopen talks with the United States and other Western powers over its nuclear programme.

The Israeli media continues to cover the violence in the Gaza border region and the northern border with Syria, weighing Israel’s possible next moves. Yediot Ahronot claims that a ground operation in Gaza would precipitate rocket fire on the greater Tel Aviv region, constituting a serious escalation. Meanwhile, Maariv reports that Egypt will recall its ambassador to Israel in the event of a significant operation in Gaza. However, Makor Rishon reports on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s briefing to foreign ambassadors yesterday in Ashkelon at which he vowed that Israel would not stand idly by when attacked. Israel Hayom and Haaretz also give prominence to the Israeli direct hit against Syrian rocket launchers that yesterday fired a mortar which landed in the Golan Heights.

There is also significant speculation this morning that former-prime minister Ehud Olmert will make an announcement over his political future in the coming two to three days. Maariv reports that Olmert is likely to announce his candidacy for January’s general election, while Makor Rishon says that he has already urged Kadima MKs to remain in the party to await his return. Haaretz though reports that former foreign-minister Tzipi Livni has no intention of being Olmert’s number two and that if he decides to return to the political scene, she will likely opt to remain on the sidelines.