Israelis were ordered to stay away from the border between Israel and Syria after weekend skirmishes between the two countries.
Israeli warplanes struck military positions in Syria after shells from the war-torn nation landed in the Golan Heights on Saturday, most likely errantly, sparking retaliatory strikes by the IDF. Lebanese TV reported that two Syrian soldiers were killed. The Israeli army said it destroyed two tanks at a post from which the mortars were fired.
Around 10 shells landed in Israel on Shabbat, exploding in open areas with no reports of damages or injuries. Israel has lodged a formal complaint with the United Nations over the incident.
The military said it “will not tolerate any attempt to harm Israeli sovereignty and the security of its citizens.”
“We do not interfere in this terribly bloody conflict. We do, however, provide humanitarian aid to young boys and girls,” Netanyahu said. “It is expensive, but we will continue to invest.”
During the Syrian civil war, Israel has largely stayed out of the conflict except for a few similar incidents in the past six years whether responding to errant shells or attacking arms shipments headed to Hezbollah.
Israel has also provided humanitarian assistance and has treated more than 1,000 wounded Syrians who have crossed the border seeking medical attention, Netanyahu said.
“They once saw us as enemies,” he said. “But here they realize more than ever that Israel is a moral bastion and a beacon of light in the region … (where) all are treated equally.”
Currently, the Golan Heights region is teeming with tourists, many of whom are Israelis and are visiting the region for hiking and fruit picking. But following the flare-up, the military has asked civilians to avoid gathering near the border with Syria.
Click below to see footage released by the IDF on the retaliation against Syrian targets.