IDF artillery strikes 2 Assad military targets following cross-border shelling

IDF strikes in response to stray cross-border fire by the Syrian military due to internal battles raging with rebels on the Syrian side of the border.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Updated: OCTOBER 13, 2015 22:19
A VIEW ACROSS near Majdal Shams across the Golan border fence into Syria (photo credit: SETH J. FRANTZMAN)
A VIEW ACROSS near Majdal Shams across the Golan border fence into Syria
(photo credit: SETH J. FRANTZMAN)
The army’s Artillery Corps struck two Assad regime military positions after a number of Syrian shells exploded in the northern Golan Heights on Tuesday.
There were no injuries in Israel following the Syrian shelling.
The IDF said its attack occurred in response to stray cross-border fire by the Syrian military due to internal battles raging with rebels on the Syrian side of the border.
“The IDF sees the Syrian military as being responsible for what occurs in its territory and will not tolerate any attempt to harm the sovereignty of the State of Israel,” the military said.
On September 28, stray cross-border fire originating from Syrian Army positions resulted in Israeli retaliatory fire.
The Syrian projectile exploded in an unpopulated area of the northern Golan Heights, causing no injuries or damage. It was the second incident of stray Syrian cross-border fire in two days.
Soon afterward, IDF artillery units struck two Syrian artillery posts.
Citing the Lebanon-based Al-Mayadeen television station, Israel Radio reported at the time that a Syrian deputy battalion commander suffered moderate wounds from the Israeli fire.
The report said Israel fired four missiles at an artillery battalion that belongs to Division 90, the regime’s army in Quneitra.
Commenting on those events, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said Syrian artillery positions taking part in civil war battles were behind the stray fire into Israel.
“From our perspective. this is a violation of sovereignty and a crossing of a redline.
The State of Israel has no intention of ignoring such incidents, and the IDF therefore attacked two Syrian army artillery positions this evening,” Ya’alon said.