Israel Claims ‘Direct Hits’ in Strikes Into Syria

Attacked Artillery Over Errant Syrian Fire

One day after Israel launched “warning fire” into Syria over an errant shell, Israeli officials are now talking about a second day of strikes, including “direct hits” on a pair of Syrian mobile artillery batteries.

The move is particularly surprising because Israel had initially downplayed the incident, saying that one of the Syrian Army mortar crews had simply “overshot” on a strike against rebels in the ongoing Syrian Civil War, landing in the Golan Heights, recognized as part of Syria but occupied by Israel since 1967.

Israeli officials are threatening further responses to Syria over the incident, but it seems that direct Israeli involvement in the war benefits no one so much as the Assad regime, which could curry a lot more sympathy in its fight against various foreign and domestic rebel factions if Israel becomes a factor in the war.

Israeli military officials say they fired a Tamuz anti-tank missile into Syria, and said they filed an official complaint to Syria threatening to respond with more “severity.” Syrian officials have mostly declined comment, apparently believing they have enough on their plate.

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.