By Anees Bargouthi
JERUSALEM (AA) - The Israeli air force struck Syrian regime targets in the Syrian Golan Heights early Thursday in ostensible response to mortar fire into northern Israel, the Israeli military has said.
According to a statement issued by the Israeli military, warplanes targeted Syrian mortar launchers in the northern sector of the Syrian Golan Heights after shells were fired from Syrian territory on Wednesday.
The Israeli army, the statement asserted, would hold the Syrian regime responsible for all ordnance fired into Israel from its territory.
"Israel will not allow any violation of its sovereignty or threats to the security of its citizens," it said.
Since the signing of a 1974 disengagement agreement between Syria and Israel, a cease-fire line has separated the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from a Syria-administered buffer zone.
The agreement calls on both Syria and Israel to refrain from all military action in the area in line with UN Security Council Resolution 339 of 1973.