The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have fired warning shots at Syria for the first time since 1973, responding to an incident on Thursday when a mortar shell fired from Syria hit an Israeli military post in the Golan Heights.
While the mortar fire caused no damage or injuries at the post, errant fire incidents from Syria have multiplied in recent weeks, which has led Israel to warn that it holds Syria responsible.
Although Israeli officials believe that Syrian government forces are responsible for most of the firing, they do not think that it has been intentionally aimed at Israel.
The Israeli defence minister said on Saturday:
"Syria has been in the midst of a brutal civil war for over a year, and the IDF (military) has been instructed to prevent the battles from spilling over ... Additional shelling into Israel from Syria will elicit a tougher response, exacting a higher price from Syria.”
Although Israel has been wary of potential instability in Syria breaking into its own borders, it has been reluctant to get involved in the conflict.
According to the Telegraph, an Israeli military official is reported to have said:
"Getting involved in Syria's civil war is simply not in Israel's interests."
