Golan residents report blasts near Syria border

Golan Heights residents reported hearing a number of blasts near the Syrian border on Saturday morning, according to Walla News.

Israeli security forces were scouring the area for possible mortars fired from Syria. There were no reports of damage or injuries.

Last week, IDF forces came under artillery and small arms fire along the Syrian border. Forces stationed along the border returned fire at the Syrian army post with a Tammuz missile. Israeli authorities notified the United Nations of the incident.

Israeli forces and residents have come under fire numerous times since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war two years ago. Earlier this month the IDF returned fire at an Syrian army post after small arms fire from Syria struck Israel. Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said at the time that cross-border fire from Syria would be returned in kind.

Incidents of cross-border fire have been regarded by Israel as an unintentional spillover from the civil war rather than a deliberate effort to draw Israel into conflict. Nonetheless, Ya’alon and IDF Chief of the General Staff Benny Gantz have said repeatedly that Israel will shoot back at the sources of such fire and do whatever is necessary to protect Israel and its citizens.