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.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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