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| Israel Attacks Syrian Positions in Golan Heights | Israel Attacks Syrian Positions in Golan Heights |
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| JERUSALEM — The Israeli military said on Wednesday that its planes had attacked several Syrian Army positions across the Israeli-Syrian cease-fire line in the Golan Heights in response to a bomb attack against Israeli forces along the frontier a day earlier. | JERUSALEM — The Israeli military said on Wednesday that its planes had attacked several Syrian Army positions across the Israeli-Syrian cease-fire line in the Golan Heights in response to a bomb attack against Israeli forces along the frontier a day earlier. |
| The airstrikes killed one person and wounded seven, Reuters reported, citing a Syrian armed forces statement. | |
| The attacks appeared to be the most intense exchange across the cease-fire line since the Syrian civil war began three years ago and raised the stakes along a frontier that has been mostly quiet for 40 years. | The attacks appeared to be the most intense exchange across the cease-fire line since the Syrian civil war began three years ago and raised the stakes along a frontier that has been mostly quiet for 40 years. |
| The Israeli military said in a statement that it had hit a Syrian Army training facility, a military headquarters and artillery batteries that had “aided and abetted” the bomb attack on Tuesday, when an explosive device was detonated against an Israeli Army patrol. Israeli forces immediately responded with artillery fire against Syrian military positions. | The Israeli military said in a statement that it had hit a Syrian Army training facility, a military headquarters and artillery batteries that had “aided and abetted” the bomb attack on Tuesday, when an explosive device was detonated against an Israeli Army patrol. Israeli forces immediately responded with artillery fire against Syrian military positions. |
| It was the third bomb attack or attempted attack along Israel’s northern borders in less than two weeks, and it was being viewed in Israel as the most serious because it was the first to cause Israeli casualties, wounding four soldiers, one severely. | It was the third bomb attack or attempted attack along Israel’s northern borders in less than two weeks, and it was being viewed in Israel as the most serious because it was the first to cause Israeli casualties, wounding four soldiers, one severely. |
| The bomb attacks appeared to be attempts to exact revenge for airstrikes against weapons convoys and warehouses that have been attributed to Israel. Israel has refused to confirm or deny involvement in about half a dozen airstrikes over the past year, mostly in Syrian territory, but Israeli leaders have said they will act to prevent the transfer of sophisticated weapons from Syria to Hezbollah, the militant Lebanese Shiite organization. Israel and Hezbollah engaged in a monthlong war in 2006; Hezbollah is currently fighting in Syria to shore up an ally, the government of President Bashar al-Assad, in its struggle against rebel forces. | The bomb attacks appeared to be attempts to exact revenge for airstrikes against weapons convoys and warehouses that have been attributed to Israel. Israel has refused to confirm or deny involvement in about half a dozen airstrikes over the past year, mostly in Syrian territory, but Israeli leaders have said they will act to prevent the transfer of sophisticated weapons from Syria to Hezbollah, the militant Lebanese Shiite organization. Israel and Hezbollah engaged in a monthlong war in 2006; Hezbollah is currently fighting in Syria to shore up an ally, the government of President Bashar al-Assad, in its struggle against rebel forces. |
| In remarks broadcast on Israel’s Army Radio on Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “The frontier with Syria has been filling up recently with jihadi elements and Hezbollah, and this presents a new challenge to the state of Israel.” | In remarks broadcast on Israel’s Army Radio on Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “The frontier with Syria has been filling up recently with jihadi elements and Hezbollah, and this presents a new challenge to the state of Israel.” |
| He added, “In recent years we have succeeded in preserving the quiet in the face of the civil war in Syria, and we will act with forcefulness to preserve Israel’s security.” | He added, “In recent years we have succeeded in preserving the quiet in the face of the civil war in Syria, and we will act with forcefulness to preserve Israel’s security.” |
| Hezbollah accused Israel of striking one of its positions on the border between Lebanon and Syria in late February and threatened to retaliate. Israeli analysts said Hezbollah might have felt bound to respond because the latest airstrike appeared to have taken place on its home turf, just inside Lebanon. But the response would be measured, they said, because Hezbollah, deeply embroiled in Syria, has no interest now in setting off a major conflagration with Israel. | Hezbollah accused Israel of striking one of its positions on the border between Lebanon and Syria in late February and threatened to retaliate. Israeli analysts said Hezbollah might have felt bound to respond because the latest airstrike appeared to have taken place on its home turf, just inside Lebanon. But the response would be measured, they said, because Hezbollah, deeply embroiled in Syria, has no interest now in setting off a major conflagration with Israel. |
| On March 5, Israeli forces in the Israeli-controlled portion of the Golan Heights fired at two men who they said were planting a bomb on the Syrian side of the border fence. The Israeli military said the men were “Hezbollah-affiliated terrorists.” Last Friday, a large explosive device was detonated against an Israeli Army vehicle patrolling adjacent to the Israeli-Lebanese border. The blast damaged the vehicle. | On March 5, Israeli forces in the Israeli-controlled portion of the Golan Heights fired at two men who they said were planting a bomb on the Syrian side of the border fence. The Israeli military said the men were “Hezbollah-affiliated terrorists.” Last Friday, a large explosive device was detonated against an Israeli Army vehicle patrolling adjacent to the Israeli-Lebanese border. The blast damaged the vehicle. |
| Tuesday’s blast occurred when forces patrolling along the fence by the Druse village of Majdal Shams “identified suspicious movement” and got out of their vehicle, according to Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Israeli military. He said Israel viewed the Syrian Army as responsible for whatever happened across the border, adding that it was too early to say whether Hezbollah had also been involved in the most recent episode. | Tuesday’s blast occurred when forces patrolling along the fence by the Druse village of Majdal Shams “identified suspicious movement” and got out of their vehicle, according to Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Israeli military. He said Israel viewed the Syrian Army as responsible for whatever happened across the border, adding that it was too early to say whether Hezbollah had also been involved in the most recent episode. |