The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) tweeted on Monday that a spate of rockets had been launched from Syria toward Israel overnight, and that they all failed to hit Israeli territory.
The IDF claimed that the rockets were fired by “Shiite militias operating under the command of the Iranian Quds [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] Force.”
A number of rockets were fired from #Syria toward #Israel overnight, all failing to hit Israeli territory.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) September 9, 2019
The rockets were launched by Shiite militias operating under the command of the Iranian Quds Force.
We hold the Syrian regime responsible for events taking place in Syria.
The statement comes after some Syrian media outlets reported earlier that at least 18 militia members had been killed in a drone strike in eastern Syria. The unmanned aerial vehicles reportedly attacked militias near the city of Al Bukamal, close to the Syrian-Iraqi border.
Israel has conducted scores of air attacks against Syria over the past few years, saying that the strikes were aimed at countering alleged Iranian presence in the country.
Damascus condemns the attacks as a blatant violation of international law, while Iran insists that its presence in Syria has been limited to military advisers helping Damascus fight terrorist groups. Tehran denies the Jewish state's right to exist, promising to wipe it off the political map should it take any action against Iran.
Israel-Lebanon Tensions
The IDF’s Monday statement comes amid an escalation of Israel-Lebanon tensions which were preceded by the Israeli military launching massive mortar, artillery and air strikes against multiple targets in southern Lebanon, following a Hezbollah anti-tank missile attack targeting IDF positions along the border.
While Lebanese President Michel Aoun made it clear that Lebanon will have every right to respond if Israel renews its military “aggression” against the country, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel has suffered no injuries, “not even a scratch” in the back and forth barrage of fire between the IDF and Hezbollah along the Israel-Lebanon border.
Commenting on the security situation in the area, Netanyahu stressed that he had instructed the military to “be prepared for any scenario” in accordance with developments on the ground.
All those who seek to harm us should know that we are ready and willing to defend Israel's citizens wherever they are, without hesitation. We are prepared and do not want to show just how well-prepared we are. The border can only be quiet on both of its sides.
— Reuven Rivlin (@PresidentRuvi) September 1, 2019
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin took to Twitter to warn “all those who seek to harm us” that Israel was “ready and willing to defend Israel’s citizens wherever they are, without hesitation.”
Tel Aviv has repeatedly claimed that Hezbollah - whose primary goal is the destruction of the Jewish state - is a proxy of Iran and that it receives weapons and equipment from Tehran, which the latter denies.
