Syria Launches Missiles On Golan Heights As US Begins ‘Surging’ Defense Aid To Israel
The Syrian Army fired missiles towards the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights Tuesday evening (local), breaking reports indicate. The Israeli Defence Force has confirmed the attack.
A number of launches from Syria aimed for Israel were identified a short while ago. Part of the launches crossed into Israeli territory and presumably fell in open areas.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 10, 2023
This raises the risk of a broader conflict that spirals, given the earlier exchange of fire in northern Lebanon between Israel and likely Hezbollah positions. Al Jazeera senior correspondent Zeina Khodr writes on the significance of the Golan mortar fire from Syria:
Rocket from Syria lands in Israel occupied Golan Heights. It was a matter of time before a message is sent to Israel from this front … “multi front assault possible”.
This came within an hour of President Biden’s speech confirming that the US will begin ‘surging’ defence aid to Israel.
And the Pentagon, too, confirmed:
A senior defence official said the Pentagon was “surging support” to its closest Middle Eastern ally in response to what U.S. officials have said were the brutal new tactics that characterised the weekend assault by Hamas militants into southern Israel. With the combined death toll exceeding 1,500, Israel’s government on Monday ordered a full-scale siege of the Gaza Strip, setting the stage for what could be a prolonged and bloody offensive in the small, densely populated Palestinian enclave.
This has already begun, says Boeing:
Boeing accelerated delivery of 1,000 smart bombs to Israel as the country steps up retaliation against Hamas https://t.co/SyylmXE0TI
— Bloomberg (@business) October 10, 2023
Meanwhile, various countries have begun evacuation efforts for their citizens from Tel Aviv.
The Israeli army has reportedly issued an order for citizens to evacuate the Metula settlement, which lies just along the northern border with Lebanon. This comes after a salvo of some 15 rockets was fired from southern Lebanon in a suspected Hezbollah operation. “In response to the launches identified from Lebanese territory towards Israeli territory, IDF soldiers are currently responding with artillery fire,” regional sources report. The IDF said it intercepted several of them, while most landed in open fields. Things are steadily escalating there:
A senior Israeli officer was killed in a confrontation with militants on the frontier with Lebanon on Monday, Israel’s military has confirmed. The [Israeli] military said troops and aircraft killed two “terrorist infiltrators” who had crossed into Israeli territory. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed that they were its members.
Later, at least three militants from Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement were killed as the military attacked sites in Lebanon in response to mortar fire.
From #IDF 🇮🇱 retaliatory strikes on Hezbollah hideouts in southern #Lebanon 🇱🇧 pic.twitter.com/q1kRaCRyF7
— Aleph א (@no_itsmyturn) October 10, 2023
