Syrian mortars fired into Golan Heights: Israel

GlobalPost

Israel's military today said mortar rounds from Syria landed in the Israeli-held Golan Heights border area, the third such incident in under a week, reported the Associated Press

More from GlobalPost: Special report: Inside the Syrian conflict 

No casualties were reported. Reuters, citing an unidentified Israeli military source, said one of the rounds hit a village but did not explode. AP said one had hit a communal farm.

Israeli security officials believe the incidents may be accidental given the level of violence in nearby Syria, where government forces are locked in a deadly battle for control after an armed uprising broke out over a year ago. Activists say violence there has taken over 30,000 lives. 

However, the reports trigger concerns the conflict could spread to the region. 

"This is a Syrian issue that could become our issue," Israeli army chief Benny Gantz said on Sunday, according to Reuters

His comments came a day after Israel lodged a formal complaint to the United Nations in response to Syrian tanks entering the Golan Heights' demilitarized zone

GlobalPost corespondent Noga Tarnopolsky wrote from the Israel-Lebanon border last month:

"Apart from residents of Beirut and Damascus, who suffered massive bombings [in October], few people are more attentive to unrest in Lebanon and in Syria than the intelligence officers manning Israel's Northern Command."

More from GlobalPost: On border with Syria and Lebanon, Israel prepares for the worst

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