Israel returns fire after attacks from Gaza, Syria

Marcy Oster

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel’s military returned fire on its northern and southern borders after attacks from both Gaza and Syria.

Several mortars were fired on Israel from Syria on Monday morning, with one explosive landing near an IDF outpost on Mt. Hermon. No one was injured in the attack, according to the IDF.

The Israel Defense Forces responded to the attack by firing artillery in the direction of the launching site, the IDF spokesman said in a tweet.

“The IDF reserves the right to respond in any way and any time to any and all attacks on Israel to protect Israeli’s residents,” it said in a statement on its website.

The IDF lodged a complaint with the United Nations about the attack.

Several previous incidents of mortars fired from Syria landing in northern Israel were discovered to be unintentional, part of the fallout from Syria’s civil war. But some have been deemed intentional by the IDF.

Also on Sunday morning the IDF bombed what it said in a statement were two “terror sites” in the central and southern Gaza Strip. Direct hits were confirmed, according to the statement.

The bombing came after two rocket attacks from Gaza against southern Israel on Sunday night and Monday morning.

“This morning’s IDF actions are a direct response to Gaza terrorist aggression against the citizens of southern Israel,” IDF Spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said in a statement. “The unlawful Gaza rocket attacks, meant to terrorize, maim and kill Israelis will not be allowed to become routine. We will fulfill our obligation to protect Israel and seek out and destroy the capabilities of those who wish to attack us.”

Since January, approximately 150 rockets have been launched from Gaza towards Israel.