Tension on the Golan Heights Heats up after Syrian Missiles, Israeli Air Strike

Israel wasted no time in sending jet fighters into Syrian air space above the Golan Heights on Tuesday after Hizbullah launched two missiles into Israeli territory, exploding in the northern Golan and causing no injuries or damage. The reprisal raid targeted artillery positions of the Syrian army which is being aided by fighting units of the Hizbullah terrorist organization, based in Lebanon. The rocket fire was the first apparent retaliation by Syria for an Israeli air strike nine days ago that killed a number of Hizbullah fighters and an Iranian general. Israel holds Syria responsible for all acts of aggression emanating from its soil regardless of whether the act was perpetrated by Hizbullah or Syrian troops. On Tuesday the Iranian news agency IRNA quoted the deputy foreign minister as saying that Tehran sent a message to Israel [referred to as ‘the Zionist regime’] warning that it had “crossed our red lines” and that it “should await the consequences of their act.”