Israel Fires Missile into Syria, Destroys Military Outpost

Military: Unsure if Rebels or Assad Forces Controlled Destroyed Outpost

Israeli troops have fired a Tammuz missile against a Syrian military outpost today, claiming it was retaliation for small arms fire that strayed across the border. The missile strike destroyed the building and wounded two within.

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon conceded that it was unclear if the gunfire was deliberately aimed at Israel, but insisted there was a “no-tolerance policy” to any bullets entering the occupied portion of Golan, saying it violated Israeli sovereignty.

Ya’alon also said they held Syria’s military responsible for the entire incident, which is quite surprising because Israeli military officials say that they aren’t clear whether the military outpost was still held by Syria’s military, or if the rebels had been responsible for the gunfire. They also weren’t sure who the two wounded people were fighting for.

But though there are some indications it was Syrian troops, the smart money on any random outpost in Golan is that it would belong to the rebels. The rebel fighters have made huge gains along the Israeli border, and have captured much of the military infrastructure there, as Syria’s government has been reluctant to commit extra troops to the area and has focused on shoring up defenses closer to the capital.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.