Israel launches strikes against Syrian targets but Israelis hiking the Golan Heights still feel safe

Record ID: 1719415

  • Title: Israel launches strikes against Syrian targets but Israelis hiking the Golan Heights still feel safe
  • Date: 9th April 2023
  • Summary: GOLAN HEIGHTS (APRIL 9, 2023) (REUTERS) SYRIAN QUNEITRA AS SEEN FROM ISRAELI-HELD GOLAN HEIGHTS AREA BORDERING ISRAEL, SYRIA AND LEBANON BORDER FENCE MORE OF BORDER AREA VARIOUS OF BORDER FENCE ISRAELI FAMILIES HIKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) LITAL BINYAMIN FROM ELIFELET, WHO CAME TO TOUR THE AREA WITH HER FAMILY, SAYING: "We came here to the Golan Heights even though there i
  • Embargoed: 23rd April 2023 10:44
  • Keywords: Israel Israeli-held Golan Heights Lebanon Syria rockets from Syria launched towards Golan Heights
  • Location: ABOVE SYRIA/ GOLAN HEIGHTS
  • City: ABOVE SYRIA/ GOLAN HEIGHTS
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Middle East
  • Reuters ID: LVA002374409042023RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Israeli jets hit Syrian military targets early on Sunday (April 9) morning in response to rockets launched towards Israeli controlled territory overnight, Israel's military said, as violence flared again following cross-border exchanges of fire during the week.
    Despite the cross border fire, Israeli families hiking in the Israeli-held Golan Heights said they felt safe.
    State media in Syria reported explosions in the vicinity of the capital Damascus as Israel said its forces continued to hit Syrian territory after six rockets were fired overnight towards the Golan Heights.
    Israel said artillery and drone strikes hit the rocket launchers and were followed by airstrikes against a Syrian army compound, military radar systems and artillery posts.
    Sirens had sounded earlier near towns in the Golan Heights as rockets were launched from Syrian territory, but no damage or casualties were reported.
    "We came here to the Golan Heights even though there is a security situation that is a little bit scary," said Lital Binyamin from the Israeli community of Elifelet. "It feels safe."
    "I hope it will be OK and that we won't be surprised," added Ilana Shemesh from the central Israeli city of Petah Tikva, who said that her family reconsidered their trip but eventually decided to go ahead with it as they felt safe.
    The cross-border exchanges came amid sharply increased tensions between Israel and Palestinian groups following Israeli police raids in recent days on the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, which caused outrage across the Arab world.
    (Production: Avi Ohayun, Lianne Back)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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