Syrian mortars land in Golan, Israel retaliates

JERUSALEM — An Israeli military official says Israeli forces have hit a target inside Syria that was the source of mortar fire into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The official said yesterday at least three shells landed near the Syrian frontier the previous evening, causing no injuries.

The official said Israel complained to the United Nations and then carried out a "pinpointed strike" on the source of the fire. He spoke anonymously because he wasn't authorized to speak publically about the incident.

He wouldn't identify the target, say how it was struck or say if Syrians were killed.

He said the army believes part of the mortars landed in the Golan accidentally, but it is still investigating.

Other Syrian mortars have accidentally landed on occasion in Israeli-held territory.