BICOM

Israeli troops prevented two armed men from infiltrating Israel’s northern border with Syria, in the latest in a series of attempts by forces in Syria to harm Israelis.

On Friday night, Israeli soldiers at an observation post spotted several men either attempting to damage the border fence or place explosives. In accordance with updated engagement protocols in the region, IDF troops opened fire on the suspicious group and reports said two of the suspects were killed. An IDF statement said, “Two armed individuals were identified in the parameter of the border barrier on the Golan Heights, who attempted to sabotage the operational infrastructure in the border. In response to that, we attacked and hit the suspects.” A third individual was reported to have fled the scene. The IDF confirmed that the men were armed but it is unclear whether they belonged to Hezbollah or an Islamist opposition group in Syria.

Speaking to his cabinet yesterday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed “we will thwart these attacks before they can take place … That is the essence of our policy.”

Although the Israel-Syria border has largely remained quiet during the three-year Syrian Civil War, during the past several weeks a number of significant attacks have been launched against Israel in the area. Two weeks ago, a roadside explosion struck an Israeli army jeep, injuring four soldiers, one of them seriously. Meanwhile, two rockets were fired from Syria which hit Israel’s Mount Hermon, in what was assumed to be a calculated attack. During the past month, the Israeli army has also prevented at least one other attempt to plant explosives near the border fence.

Hezbollah, a close ally of Syria’s President Assad, is suspected of having been responsible for at least some of these attacks, using Syria as a staging ground for attacking Israel for the first time. However, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah yesterday said in a televised speech “We’re not looking for war” with Israel, but would defend against Israeli “aggression.”