Israel claims to target Syrian military in Golan

The Israeli army reportedly attacked two Syrian military targets on the Golan Heights after stray Syrian fire damaged the security fence along the demarcation line, a spokeswoman said on Monday.

"In response to errant fire yesterday from Syria that hit the border with Israel, damaging the security fence, the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) responded and targeted two Syrian military targets in the central Golan Heights," an Israeli military spokeswoman told AFP.

While Israel has reportedly sought to avoid being dragged into the Syrian civil war, it has attacked Syrian military targets when fire from the conflict spills over into its territory.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu also acknowledged in April that Israel had attacked dozens of convoys transporting weapons in Syria destined for its enemy Hizballah.

Many analysts believe that Israel's assassination of Hizballah commander Samir Qantar in Syria last week could not have taken place without Russia's knowledge.

The Israeli strike had targeted Jaramana, an area far from the Golan Heights, and deep into Russian-dominated airspace in Syria.

Israel seized 1,200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the Golan Heights from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community.

Last month Israeli media reports also revealed the Israeli media is establishing a special liaison unit purportedly to maintain communications with Syrian civilians living across Israel’s northeastern border in the Golan Heights.

Despite Israel's recent statement, there have also been numerous reports that Israel is cooperating with Russia, the chief backer of the Syrian regime, in the conflict.  

Last month Israel has also reportedly targeted a village in the area controlled by Yarmouk Martyrs Brigades, a faction reportedly associated with the Islamic State, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.