Stray mortar shells fired from Syria land in Golan
4 shells land in Golan Heights; no injuries or damage reported; IDF informs UN of incident, says rockets likely result of infighting.
By YAAKOV LAPPINSyrian mortar shell explodes in Golan(photo credit: REUTERS/Baz Ratner)
Four stray Syrian mortar shells landed in Israeli territory on the Golan Heights on Saturday, marking the second time in days that Syrian fire crossed the northern border.There were no injuries or damage sustained in the incident.The IDF scanned the area after the shells fell, locating them in an open field.Israel notified the UN Disengagement Observer Force of the strike.Israel Radio said the Syrian fire traveled the furthest from the international frontier since the Syrian civil war began two years ago.The shells were fired in the midst of intense battles between rebels and military forces loyal to the regime of Bashar Assad.On Wednesday, the IDF located a Syrian tank shell that strayed into Israel and landed near Moshav Alonei Habashan on the Golan Heights.Alonei Habashan residents reported seeing smoke rising from the landing area. It was not the first time that stray Syrian fire has hit the area.Last week, Israel repatriated six of seven Syrians after treating them for wounds suffered in the Syrian civil war, the IDF announced.Soldiers evacuated the wounded Syrians from the border to Safed’s Ziv Medical Center earlier this month, and provided them with emergency hospital treatment.
Six have since recovered and were returned to an undisclosed location in Syria to protect their safety, the IDF said. A seventh person who arrived at the hospital in serious condition is still being treated.Last year, an IDF jeep carrying out a border patrol was hit by gunfire from Syria, just days after a soldier was hit by a bullet fired over the border.Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
