Israel Strikes Syrian Army Posts In Response To Stray Rockets In Golan Heights As Violence Soars Nationwide

Israeli artillery struck two Syrian military targets Tuesday on the Golan Heights in response to rockets that reportedly fell on Israeli territory earlier in the day. The move comes as Israeli authorities have been on high alert amid a surge of domestic violence between Israelis and Palestinians.

"The IDF [Israeli Defense Forces] holds the Syrian army responsible for what is taking place in its territory, and will not tolerate any attempt to undermine the sovereignty of the State of Israel, or the security of its citizens," the IDF said in a statement, according to TelesurTV.

No details were offered as to whether the Israeli artillery shots resulted in casualties. Israeli officials said the Syrian mortars exploded in unpopulated areas of the northern Golan Heights and did not lead to any damage or casualties.

The Golan Heights has been on high alert since the Syrian conflict spiraled into a bloody civil war in 2011. The region has repeatedly been hit by misguided rockets and mortar rounds, occasionally leading Israel to respond. The Israeli military said Tuesday’s mortars that fell on Israel were likely “stray fire from internal fighting in Syria,” the Agence France-Press reported.

"From our perspective this is a violation of sovereignty and a crossing of a red line. The state of Israel has no intention of ignoring such incidents, and the IDF therefore attacked two Syrian army artillery positions this evening," Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon said.

The Golan Heights is considered a contested region, as Israel annexed it from Syria following the Six-Day War in 1967. Israel's sovereignty over the territory has not been recognized by the international community.

Earlier this month, an Israeli oil company discovered a massive oil reserve in the Golan Heights. The reserve is expected to provide Israel’s domestic oil needs and bolster the country's relatively young oil industry.