Israel retaliates against Syria after attack on soldiers

Israel retaliates against Syria after attack on soldiers

·         Israel and Syria

·         April 13, 2013

·         By: Jim Kouri

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Logo of the Israeli National Police based in Jerusalem.

Credits:

INP

An Israeli border artillery battery fired into war-torn Syria on Friday night after either Assad regime troops or Islamist rebels fired gunshots and mortar shells at soldiers on the Israeli-occupied section of the Golan Heights, according to Jeffrey Hochman of the Israeli National Police in Jerusalem.

“A short while ago, artillery and shots were fired at IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldiers along the security fence between Israel and Syria,” it said in a statement.

No soldiers were injured and no damage was caused. IDF soldiers responded with artillery fire towards the source of the shooting, according to the IDF.

The statement said “a direct hit was identified” and that the army had informed U.N. authorities about the incident.

last week, Moshe Yaalon, Israel's minister of defense warned Syria and other nations in the region that Israel would retaliate against any nation of terrorist group that attacks its territory. The warning followed attacks from Gaza and a Syrian mortal shell blast and small-arms fire on the Golan Heights.

“We shall not allow in any form the establishment of a routine of sporadic firing at our civilians or our forces,” Yaalon is quoted as saying on April 3.

Recently, the Israelis serving in the military and public safety have experienced an increase gunfire and shellings from the Golan Heights stemming from the two-year civil war raging in Syria. Israeli forces were given permission by their superiors to return fire at the sources of these sporadic shootings.

According to Hochman, Israel is closely monitoring the current situation in Syria due to reports that jihadist elements among the rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad's regime could attack the Jewish state.

Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria during the Six-Day War in 1967 and annexed it as part of Israel in 1981, although the annexation was never recognized by the United Nations.

Since 1974, the U.N.'s Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), or "blue helmets" have been monitoring the Syrian side of the Golan Heights borderline.

Jim Kouri, Law Enforcement Examiner

Jim Kouri, CPP, the fifth Vice President and Public Information Officer of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, has served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. Contact Jim. What others are saying about Jim Kouri: Semana.com...