srael is “currently striking” targets in southern Syria in retaliation after six rockets were launched from the Syrian territory toward Israel in a rare attack from its northeastern neighbour, said the Israeli military early on Sunday (April 9).
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also said that the area in Syria which is being attacked is from where the rockets were fired the night before. The Israeli counterattack came hours after a total of six rockets were fired from Syria near Golan Heights.
According to the IDF, only three of the rockets crossed into Israeli-controlled territory, with two falling into open ground and a third intercepted by air defence systems. Syria’s state news agency SANA reported that explosions have been heard near the capital Damascus.
The IDF said it carried out artillery and drone strikes in southern Syria, targeting the launchers that had been used to fire the rockets and later, its fighter jets carried out additional airstrikes near Damascus.
Subsequently, the Syrian army claims its air defences intercepted some of the Israeli missiles, reported the Syrian state media, adding that the strikes caused damage, without mentioning casualties.
So far, no damage has been reported from any of the six rockets launched towards Israel. Meanwhile, the Golan Regional Council has asked residents of southern Golan Heights to open public bomb shelters and stay near safe zones, reported the Times of Israel.
According to a report by Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV, a Damascus-based Palestinian group loyal to the Syrian regime claimed responsibility for launching the three missiles on Israel, on Saturday.
A local Palestinian militia called Liwa al-Quds, or the Jerusalem Brigade, claimed responsibility for the rocket launches, said the Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese Al Mayadeen network.
The IDF added that they used remotely operated drones to strike the launch pads in Syria that were used to fire rockets towards the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. After a total of six projectiles were fired in two separate barrages, warning sirens sounded in several areas of the region, said media reports.
“The strike was carried out in response to the rockets fired towards Israeli territory,” the IDF said, in a short statement. According to local media reports in Israel and Syria, the IDF is continuing its strikes in Syrian territory.
In a subsequent statement, the IDF said that its fighter jets targeted a military compound belonging to the Syrian army’s 4th Division, as well as radar and artillery posts.
Notably, Israel seized 1,200 square kilometres of the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 six-day war and later annexed it. This move was never recognised by the international community.
The uptick in attacks comes days after more than 30 rockets were fired from Lebanese soil into Israel, which the Israeli army blamed on Palestinian groups and retaliated by carrying out strikes in Gaza and southern Lebanon.
Police deployed near al-Aqsa mosque
Meanwhile, the Palestinian group, al-Quds, said that the rockets were fired to retaliate for the Israeli police raid on al-Aqsa Mosque, reported the Associated Press.
Amid the rise in tensions over the holy site in Jerusalem’s Old City sacred to both Muslims and Jews, late Saturday, a few hundred Palestinian worshippers had barricaded themselves in the mosque.
According to Israeli media reports, many Israeli police forces are deployed in the area and are expected to enter the mosque to remove the Palestinians who have reportedly threatened to disrupt morning visits by Jews to the site and are refusing to disperse.
Similarly, earlier this week, the Israeli police raided the mosque and fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse hundreds of Palestinians who had barricaded themselves inside.