BICOM

A mortar shell was fired from Syria into the northern part of the Israeli Golan Heights yesterday.

The shell is thought to have been stray fire from the fighting in Syria. Although no injuries were reported from the mortar fire, damage was caused to a road. Hours later, Israeli forces responded by firing at artillery targets belonging to President Bashar al-Assad’s government forces.

An IDF statement said: “The IDF holds the Syrian government accountable for this blatant breach of Israeli sovereignty, and will continue to act in order to safeguard Israel.”

The Syrian state news agency accused Israel of “support [for] terrorist organisations by attacking Mashati Hadar area in the countryside of Quneitra province with two rockets fired from a reconnaissance aircraft, causing material damage”. Al-Assad’s troops have been engaged in fighting in the area against Islamist groups aligned with al-Qaeda.

Although Israel has remained firmly on the sidelines during the five-year Syrian Civil War, stray fire has infrequently landed in Israel, prompting an IDF response. On occasion, Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah, which fights alongside al-Assad’s forces, has attempted to attack Israeli troops near the border.

Meanwhile, also yesterday, shots were fired from the northern Gaza Strip at IDF forces near the border. No Israeli troops were hurt, but Palestinian reports said that three Hamas fighters were wounded after the IDF fired on a Hamas position in response.

Tensions in the Gaza area increased last month, after a rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip at the southern Israeli town of Sderot, landing between two houses. Israel responded with an unusually large barrage, carrying out air strikes on dozens of targets.