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Israeli air force strikes Syria after errant mortar hits Golan

Xinhua, July 26, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) struck Syria in retaliation to a Syrian mortar that landed in the Israeli-held Golan Heights earlier on Monday, the Israeli army said.

"The IAF has successfully targeted the source of the fire in Syria," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson said in a statement.

The Israeli army also said it views the Syrian government as responsible for "all fire from Syria," and the military would "continue to act in order to preserve Israeli sovereignty and safeguard Israel," according to the statement.

The Hebrew-based Walla! news website reported that the Israeli military hit positions of the Syrian Army in the area of Quneitra. It is unclear, as of press time, whether there were any injuries or damages as a result of the IAF's strike.

Earlier on Monday evening, an errant mortar from Syria hit the Israeli-held Golan Heights, causing no injuries or damages. The Israeli military believes it was an errant mortar, part of the internal fighting in Syria.

Errant fire from the fighting in Syria has been occasionally spilling over to Israel, usually causing no casualties or damages.

Israel had occupied the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast War and annexed the territory in 1981.

Last week, the Israeli army failed to intercept an unmanned aerial vehicle over the Golan Heights, despite launching two Patriot air defense missiles at it, the IDF spokesperson said. The drone had apparently returned to Syria.

Israel had repeatedly declared it would not intervene with the internal fighting in Syria, amid the civil war that broke out in 2011. It did deliver medical treatment to hundreds of wounded Syrians who reached the border.

Israel had also been responsible for several airstrikes in Syria in the past several years, allegedly targeting convoys carrying weapons from Iran and Syria to the Lebanese Hezbollah militant organization, a staunch enemy of Israel.

The country remained quiet on its part on these attacks up until two months ago, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that Israel carried out "dozens" of attacks across the border. Endit