IDF releases footage of strikes on Syrian military targets

The Israeli military released footage Saturday evening of several air strikes carried out against Syrian military targets after numerous mortar shells hit the Golan Heights from Syria.

The black-and-white video showed strikes against two Syrian tanks as well as a heavy machine gun.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor which has been reporting on Syria’s six-year war, said two Syrian soldiers were killed in the Israeli strikes. Syrian officials confirmed several deaths, though they did not provide details.

The air raids came after some 10 mortar shells hit Israeli territory around the Quneitra area on Saturday afternoon. There was no damage and no injuries were reported in the mortar attack.

The Israeli army said the mortars appeared to be errant fire from Syrian factions fighting each other across the border. Still, it held the Syrian regime responsible for attacks coming from within its territory.

The Observatory reported fierce fighting between Syrian government forces and rebels in Quneitra. Syrian officials said army forces had been engaged in fighting with forces of the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front.

They accused Israel of striking Syrian army targets to aid the rebel forces.

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman warned that the regime would continue to “suffer the consequences” of any attack on Israel emanating from its territory.

Israel, he said, had “no intention of accepting challenges to our sovereignty and threats to our security, even if they are caused by ‘spillover'” from Syrian infighting.

“We will respond strongly, resolutely and with level-headedness to any such case,” he said. “As far as we are concerned the Assad regime is responsible for what occurs in its territory and will continue to suffer the consequences if such events recur.”