Iron Dome intercepts 4 rockets fired at Israel from Syria - Israel Hayom Staff , JNS

​
by Israel Hayom Staff , JNS

"No hits on Israeli communities were identified," IDF says, while no group or state body claim responsibility for the attack.

An Iron Dome battery positioned on the Golan Heights | Archives: AFP/Jalaa Marey

The Iron Dome missile defense system shot down four rockets fired from Syria toward Israel early on Tuesday, the IDF said in a statement.

At around 5 a.m. (Israel time) sirens warning of incoming rocket fire sounded across the Golan Heights region.

The IDF said it had “identified four launches from Syrian territory toward Israeli territory that were shot down by soldiers operating the Iron Dome missile defense system. No hits on Israeli communities were identified."

It remains unclear who fired the projectiles, with no group or state body claiming responsibility.

The predawn attack occurred around the same time explosions at Damascus International Airport were reported, according to Syria's state-run SANA news agency.

Defense Minister Naftali Bennett is expected to convene a security briefing with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi in Tel Aviv later Tuesday morning.

Last week, the son of a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist was killed in a targeted attack in Damascus that was widely attributed to Israel.

In a possibly related event, the IDF on Monday launched a surprise military drill in northern Israel, warning local residents to expect increased troop and vehicle movements in the area, as well as sirens and the sound of explosions.

According to the IDF, reserve forces were called up for the drill, which will test “the Northern Command’s readiness and operational capabilities” by simulating an attack on Israel by Iran, Syria or Lebanon.

The drill took place as Israel remains on high alert following an Iranian attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure with drones and cruise missiles in September.

The incident caused IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi to warn of the possibility of a similar attack against Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said recently that a war with Iran would pose a threat to Israel of a similar magnitude to the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

The drill, which is being overseen by IDF Comptroller Lt. Gen. Ofer Sarig, is the second large-scale drill this year under Kochavi’s direction. The IDF concluded a week-long drill in northern Israel in September, simulating a war against the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon.

Parts of this article were printed from JNS.org.


Israel Hayom Staff , JNS

Source: https://www.israelhayom.com/2019/11/19/iron-dome-intercepts-4-syrian-rockets-fired-at-israel/

Follow Middle East and Terrorism on Twitter