UN chief urges Israel, Syria to de-escalate tensions

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was deeply concerned over the serious violations of the Disengagement of Forces Agreement between Israel and Syria and urged them to de-escalate the situation, said a statement issued by the secretary-general's spokesperson Friday.

Reports said that rockets were fired Thursday across the ceasefire line into northern Israel, landing in the vicinity of Qiryat Shmona, in response to shootings by the Israel Defense Forces across the ceasefire line, with projectiles impacting in the vicinity of Syrian Arab Armed Forces positions near Al Baath and Khan Arnabeh, said the statement.

The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) immediately contacted both the Israel Defense Forces and the Syrian Arab Armed Forces to de-escalate the situation, which is currently quiet, according to the statement.

The secretary-general condemned all violations of the Disengagement of Forces Agreement and called on all concerned to refrain from any action that jeopardizes the ceasefire between Israel and Syria and undermines the stability of the area, said the statement.

Moreover, the secretary-general called on all involved to exercise maximum restraint to prevent any further escalation in an already tense regional environment, it said.

According to media reports, after rockets hit the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, the Israeli military responded with airstrikes at Syrian targets starting Thursday.

Syrian media reported that on Friday, the second day of Israeli airstrikes, Israeli forces struck a car in a Syrian-controlled area of the Golan Heights, killing five civilians. Endite