Israel fires artillery at Syria following errant fire

JERUSALEM, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Israel's army fired artillery towards an area in Golan Heights on Monday, saying it was a response to a mortar shell that hit the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights earlier.

The mortar hit an open field, causing no injuries or damage, the military said in a statement.

"It appears to have been errant fire, related to the civil war in Syria," the statement read.

In response, the army targeted the region where the mortar was fired, the army said.

"The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) holds the Syrian regime accountable and will not tolerate any attempt to breach Israeli sovereignty or endanger the safety of Israeli civilians," the army said.

The incident came amidst volatile rhetoric between Israel and Iran. Israel repeatedly said it will not allow Iran to establish a military foothold in Syria, and was accused of carrying out a fatal airstrike on an air base in Syria, where Iranian nationals were killed.

Israel has carried out occasional airstrikes against Syrian army position, usually in response to errant fire from the seven-year war between the Bashar al-Assad regime and rebel groups. Enditem