BICOM

For the second day in a row, the Israeli army responded to Syrian mortars that landed on Israeli territory in the Golan Heights.

On Sunday, Israel fired into Syria for the first time since the 1973 Yom Kippur War, after an errant Syrian shell landed in the vicinity of an Israeli army outpost. On that occasion, the Israeli army fired a warning shot in response. However, after a further Syrian shell landed in the Golan Heights yesterday, the Israeli army confirmed “In response, IDF soldiers fired tank shells towards the source of the fire, confirming direct hits,” signalling a change of tone in Israel’s reaction.

There were conflicting reports over whether Syrian soldiers were injured in the incident. Israel’s Channel Two reported that two soldiers had been injured, although Syrian state television has declined to devote significant coverage to the exchanges.

Yesterday’s Syrian mortar fire was the sixth occasion in just over a week in which weapons fire from internal Syrian fighting appeared to spill over into Israeli territory. The Israeli army believes that the incidents stem from Syrian army attempts to re-capture the village of Bir Ajam, which has reportedly been captured by Syrian opposition forces. Two weeks ago, three Syrian army tanks entered the village, which is situated in the demilitarized zone in the Golan Heights, violating the 1974 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Syria.

An Israeli army spokesman yesterday clarified that Israel would continue to respond to wayward fire, irrespective of whether it comes from the Syrian army or opposition forces, saying, “If we are fired upon, we will respond in kind. As far as we are concerned, it doesn’t matter who is firing at us.”