Israel strikes Syria after projectile lands in Golan Heights

For the second time this week, the Israeli military says its aircraft struck targets in Syria after a projectile hit the Israeli-occupied part of the Golan Heights.

The military said on Saturday that it hit Syrian artillery positions after the projectile landed in the northern Golan Heights. It caused no injuries.

A similar incident took place on Thursday as exchanges of fire have steadily increased recently. 

On July 4, the Israeli army said it had attacked two Syrian targets in the Golan Heights after stray fire damaged the security fence.

And on July 17, Israeli said its military fired two Patriot missiles at a drone that infiltrated from Syria.

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.

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.

In June 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. 


Agencies contributed to this report.