The Israel Air Force attacked dozens of targets of the Iranian Quds Force and the Syrian Army in Syria last night, Walla! News reports. The IDF spokesperson said that the raids were in response to rocket fire on Israel by Iranian forces from Syrian territory yesterday, referring to four rockets fired at the northern Golan Heights that were intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system. Ground-to-air missiles were launched at the Israeli aircraft, despite a warning from Israel to refrain from such action, and several Syrian air defense batteries were subsequently destroyed.
The IDF spokesperson said in a statement: "The Iranian attack on Israeli territory yesterday is further clear proof of Iran's current purpose in Syria. The establishment of Iranian forces there represents a danger to the security of Israel, to regional stability, and to the Syrian regime." The spokesperson added that the Syrian regime bore responsibility for what was done on its territory.
Last week, Syria and Islamic Jihad blamed Israel for an attack on the home of a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad figure in Damascus. According to Syrian media, Muaz al-Ajuri, son of Akram al-Ajuri, a member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad's political bureau, was killed in that attack, which took place at the same time as the assassination in the Gaza Strip of a local Islamic Jihad commander Baha Abu al-Ata. Israel said it was responsible for the killing of al-Ata, but did not comment on the attack in Syria.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on November 20, 2019
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