WATCH: IDF strikes Syrian military after rockets land in Israel

Jordan strikes Iran-backed drug smugglers in Syria as part of counter-narcotics operations.

IDF hits Syrian military position. December 18, 2023. (Credit: IDF)

The IDF targeted a Syrian military position in response to launches toward Israeli territory, it said on Monday evening.

Earlier, Israeli media reported that three rockets fell in the Golan Heights after being fired from Syria.

The IDF statement confirmed the media reports, noting that the rockets fell in open areas, triggering an alert on the Home Front Command application.

In response, the IDF directed artillery fire toward the source of the launches; tanks simultaneously fired upon a Syrian military position.

The IDF said that earlier on Monday, launches from Lebanon targeting the area of Kiryat Shmona were detected.

 Hezbollah and Syrian flags flutter on a military vehicle in Western Qalamoun, Syria August 28, 2017.  (credit: REUTERS/OMAR SANADIKI)
Hezbollah and Syrian flags flutter on a military vehicle in Western Qalamoun, Syria August 28, 2017. (credit: REUTERS/OMAR SANADIKI)

The strikes come as tensions in the North have been slowly escalating, typically with Hezbollah, a key ally of Iran and Syria.

The Kingdom of Jordan also struck Syria on Monday, hitting targets linked with Iranian-backed drug smugglers as part of wider anti-trafficking operations.

Jordanian counter-narcotics strikes

The Jordanian Army claimed that it had foiled a plot by members of a pro-Iran militia to infiltrate Jordan. 

The failed infiltration into Israel's eastern neighbor left one Jordanian soldier and at least a dozen smugglers dead, according to Reuters.

The smugglers were found to have rocket launchers, anti-personnel mines, and explosives.

"The last few days have seen a spike in these operations that are changing from infiltration attempts and smuggling to armed clashes with the goal of crossing the border by force and targeting border guards," the Jordanian Army said.

The increased smuggling is believed to be linked to the Syrian state-sponsored drug trade in amphetamines, primarily the pill Captagon. The Syrian regime denies involvement in the drug trade.

The drug trade remains a key funding source for Iranian-backed militias in Syria and Lebanon, including the Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah.

Reuters contributed to this report.