Israel has fired warning shots into Syria on Sunday after a mortar shell struck an Israeli military post in the Golan Heights, adjacent to the Israel-Syria border, the latest example of regional spillover from Syria’s civil unrest.
"A short while ago, a mortar shell targeted an IDF (Israel Defense Forces) post in the Golan Heights," said army spokeswoman Lt. Col. Avital Leibovich. "We answered with a warning shot toward Syrian areas. We understand this was a mistake and was not meant to target Israel and then that is why we fired a warning shot in retaliation."
The Syrian mortar caused no damage or injuries, but Israeli military officials have grown increasingly alarmed over how fighting between the Syrian army and Syrian rebel groups has inched closer to the Golan Heights border.
Sunday’s retaliation by Israeli soldiers marked the first such military engagement between Israel and Syria since the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
The Israeli army saidd it 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.»
Last week Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said he warned Syrian President Bashar Assad to move the fighting away from the border region.
And Israel's army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz toured the Golan Heights and declared : "This is a Syrian issue that could become our issue," the Chief of Staff then said of the ongoing fighting in Syria, instructing forces in the field to remain alert in protecting the Golan Heights and preventing violence from spilling across the border.
Speaking to his Cabinet on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is "closely monitoring" the border with Syria and is "ready for any development."