Israel bombs Syria after air raid sirens sound in annexed Golan Heights

Israel shelled Syria on Saturday after air raid sirens sounded in settlements on the annexed Golan Heights, the army said, amid its war on Gaza.

“Following the initial report regarding sirens sounded in the communities of Avnei Eitan and Alma, IDF (Israeli) artillery is currently striking the origin of the shooting in Syria,” an army statement said.

In a following statement, the army said that “two rockets were launched from Syria toward Israeli territory that fell in an open area.”

The army also said it was examining a possible aerial infiltration from Lebanon.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that Palestinian factions working with Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah group had “launched a rocket towards the occupied Golan Heights from… the western countryside of Daraa” province in southern Syria.

Israel has been on high alert on its northern frontiers since October 7, when Palestinian militants launched a multi-pronged assault, breaching the Gaza border barrier and targeting southern Israeli communities and army bases.

More than 1,300 civilians and soldiers have been killed since the attack began, according to Israeli officials, and at least 120 have been seized by militants and are believed to be held captive in Gaza.

Israeli retaliatory strikes have killed more than 2,200 people in Hamas-controlled Gaza.

Speaking Saturday night, spokesman Daniel Hagari warned that the army “has very large forces in the north.”

“Whoever reaches the fence to infiltrate Israel, will die,” he said in televised remarks.