On Sunday, Israel launched a retaliatory strike against Syria, firing rockets in response to recent rocket attacks on Israeli-controlled territory. Despite six rockets being launched towards Israel, no damage was reported. According to al-Mayadeen TV based in Lebanon, the al-Quds brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, claimed responsibility for the rocket launches. The situation along Israel’s northern border remains tense following the cross-border exchange of fire.
Israel responded to the rocket fire by launching artillery strikes and using a drone to target the rocket launchers in Syria. The military reported that only three of the rockets entered Israeli-controlled territory, with two landing in open ground and the third being intercepted by air defense systems.
Amidst escalated tensions between Israel and Palestinian groups, Israel launched strikes against Syria after rockets were launched toward Israeli-controlled territory. The rocket attacks came in the wake of Israeli raids on the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem during Ramadan, which saw police clashing with worshippers. Israel claimed that the raid was aimed at removing groups that had barricaded themselves inside the mosque with weapons. The incident drew condemnation from Arab countries and raised concerns among Israel’s US allies.
Despite concerns of more violence, there were no significant incidents reported around the mosque on Saturday. The Old City site in Jerusalem, which is sacred to both Muslims and Jews and known as Temple Mount to Jews, has been a recurring source of tension, particularly over the issue of non-Muslim prayer at the mosque, which is prohibited.
The clashes at the site in 2021 were one of the factors that led to a 10-day war between Israel and Hamas. The recent exchange of cross-border fire on Friday has reignited concerns of another conflict, bringing back memories of the previous one.
In southern Lebanon, over 30 rockets were fired toward Israel on Thursday, prompting Israel to retaliate with cross-border strikes on Hamas-linked sites in Lebanon and Gaza. Israel captured the Golan Heights in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed the 1,200-square-kilometer area in 1981, a move that most of the international community does not recognize.
The Palestinian health ministry and Israel’s military reported that a Palestinian man was killed by Israeli forces during a confrontation in the occupied West Bank in a separate incident.