The IDF on Sunday fired artillery warning shots into Syria. This marks the first time Israeli forces fired across the border into Syria since 1973.
The IDF move was in response to today’s fourth incident of gunfire from Syria spilling over into northern Israel. A mortar shell landed in the north. B’chasdei Hashem there were no injuries.
Earlier incidents over the past week include bullets striking the patrol vehicle of a battalion commander along the Golan Heights border, as well as another case in which stray bullets came across the border and a third incident in which a mortar shell landed in a border community without detonating.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak announced last week such incidents would not be tolerated, promising the IDF would respond. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz stated we mustn’t permit the Syrian issue to become an Israeli issue.
In a statement, the Israeli military said soldiers had “fired warning shots towards Syrian areas”.
“The IDF (Israel Defence Force) has filed a complaint through the UN forces operating in the area, stating that fire emanating from Syria into Israel will not be tolerated and shall be responded to with severity,” the statement said.
There was no immediate comment from the 1,000-man United Nations Disengagement Observer Force which patrols the area.
Spillover violence this month from Syria onto the Golan has jangled the nerves of Israelis worried that the once-quiet front will add to threats facing the Jewish state from Islamic militants in neighboring Lebanon, Gaza and Egypt’s Sinai.
There have been similar worries in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon about incidents on their own borders with Syria, where forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have been battling rebels for 19 months.
Interviewed by Israel’s Army Radio earlier on Sunday, Defence Minister Ehud Barak was asked about public warnings he and another senior official issued to Assad last week to rein in Syrian sweeps against rebels near the Golan.
“The message has certainly been relayed. To tell you confidently that no shell will fall? I cannot. If a shell falls, we will respond,” Barak said, without elaborating.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, also speaking before Sunday’s mortar strike on the Golan, told his cabinet that Israel was “closely following what is happening on our border with Syria .. and (is) prepared for any development”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem / Reuters)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
One Response
To the pm may I suggest that youlearn a little history? When you start with chareidim in. A serious way the result has always been that our fronts heat up so if you want quiet from our enemies then don’t be an enemy to torah which is our only true weapon. Hakol kol yakov….