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 JPOST.COM STAFFSyrian mortar shell explodes in Golan(photo credit: REUTERS/Baz Ratner)
Four stray mortar shells fired from Syria landed in the Israeli Golan Heights on Saturday, the IDF confirmed. The rockets fell in an open field near the border and no injuries or damage were reported, the IDF Spokesman's Office stated.Security forces were sent to the scene, and Israel informed the UN of the incident.The incident marked the deepest penetration of Syrian fire into Israeli territory since the uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad began some two years ago, according to Israel Radio.The army believes the shells were strays fired in the midst of a battle between Syrian rebels and ground forces loyal to Assad.On Wednesday, the IDF found a Syrian tank shell that strayed into Israel and landed near the village of Alonei Habshan in the Golan Heights. No injuries or damages were reported in the incident.The IDF launched a search of the area, locating the tank shell and removing it safely from the scene.Residents of Alonei Habashan reported seeing smoke rising from the landing area. It was not the first time that stray Syrian fire has hit the area.Last year, an IDF jeep carrying out a border patrol was hit by gunfire from Syria, days after a soldier was hit by a bullet fired over the border. Before that, Israel fired at and struck two Syrian mortar launchers, following two consecutive days in which Syrian artillery shells exploded in Israeli territory.Also on Wednesday, 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 the Ziv Medical Center in Safed earlier this month, and provided them with emergency hospital treatment.Six have since recovered, and were returned to Syria at an undisclosed location to protect their safety, the IDF said. A seventh person who arrived at the hospital in serious condition is still being treated.
