Heavy exchanges of gunfire between government troops and rebel forces in Syria were reported on Monday morning 6 Elul. The heavy gunfire was heard close to Israel’s border. During the morning hours a mortar rocket exploded near the Quneitra Crossing inside Israel. B’chasdei Hashem there were no fatalities or injuries.

Loud explosions were heard near the border during the morning hours. A Syrian tank involved in the fighting could be seen from Israel. The large Syrian flag hung in recent days near the Quneitra Crossing was not visible on Monday morning. It is unclear if it was downed by gunfire or if rebel forces removed it.

Dror, who was working in the vineyard of Meron Golan near the border, told the press that the shooting began around 6 AM, and became more intense in the hours that followed.

According to the Syrian al-Wattan newspaper, which is aligned with the government, the army is in the process of taking the necessary steps to retake the Quneitra area from rebel forces.

As in recent days, the IDF viewed the mortar fire as spill over from the civil war and as such, it did not respond.

On Sunday afternoon 5 Elul, a drone aircraft was shot down by the IAF with a patriot missile. There have been numerous incidents of rocket fire and light weapons fire across the border in the past week. In one case, an IDF officer sustained moderate gunshot wounds to his upper torso.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)