Israel returns to Syria in 2nd round of its response to Thursday’s rocket attack on Israel, and kills 4-5 combatants said to be responsible for firing the 4 rockets that exploded in Israel.
By Yoav Zitun & Roi Kais
The Israel Air Force launched additional air strike in Syria Friday morning, targeting a vehicle in which 4-5 men were killed who were responsible for Thursday’s rocket fire on the Golan Heights, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon confirmed Friday morning.
A fire at the site of yesterday’s (Thursday Aug 20, 2015) rocket strike. – Photo: Yuval Landov
A senior IDF officer told Ynet that the attack occurred inside Syria some 10-15 kilometers from the Israeli border within territory entirely controlled by the Syrian Army.
The squad of men, according to the officer, were Islamic Jihad members under Iranian auspices.
Ya’alon and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the officer’s statements, saying that the squad had been eliminated and that that IDF would identify and chase down anyone threatening the safety of Israeli civilians.
“I said this week that whoever attempts to harm us, we will harm – and that’s exactly what we did.”
IAF F-16 ‘Fighting Falcon’. – IDF Spokesperson’s Unit
The prime minister said those who fired the rockets had been killed that that Israel had also struck at Syrian forces who “allowed” for the rocket attack.
Syrian media reported a slightly different version of events, claiming that five civilians had been killed in the Israeli air strike.
Reports also said that others in the vicinity suffered minor injuries and that the strike had been carried out by an Israeli drone.
Itamar Eichner contributed to this report.
View original Ynet publication at:
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4693080,00.html
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