Russia praises Israel for attacking ISIS in Syria
Moscow's Defense Ministry says ISIS terrorists killed and rocket launchers destroyed in IDF attack in response to two grad rockets fired at Israel, with one of them landing in the Kinneret; Israeli defense official believe fire was intentional to cause Israel to attack Assad army.
The Russian Defense Ministry praised Israel Thursday after the IDF's attack on ISIS forces in the Syrian Golan area killed several members of the terrorist organization and destroyed rocket launchers.
According to the Russian news agency Sputnik, the ISIS terrorists were trying on Wednesday to fire missiles at Syrian army positions, but hit Israel instead with two BM-21 rockets that landed in the Kinneret.
Israeli defense officials believe ISIS launched the grad rockets at Israel as a provocation, in an effort to make Israel attack the Syrian army in retaliation. These assessments are based on the fact Assad's army was attacking ISIS from the north and east, and so any fire to the west would have to be intentional.
The IDF responded by attacking the rocket launcher and shelling the area with artillery fire.
“The IDF will act against any attempt to violate the State of Israel’s sovereignty and undermine the security of its citizens,” the army said.
Locals told the director of the Gofra Beach in Kinneret that they saw a suspicious object fall into the water, prompting the police to scour the area.
“There were two explosions and we saw a wave of people leave the water,” recalled one Acre resident who was at the beach. “We heard a strong boom that caused a strong wave in the water.”
There have been many instances of stray fire landing on the Israeli side of the rocky Golan plateau during years of fighting between Syrian rebels and Assad's army, but the rocket that landed in the Kinneret is thought to be the farthest yet.
Wednesday was the third consecutive day in which rocket sirens blared in northern Israel, with the border becoming increasingly volatile as Syrian President Bashar Assad recaptures swathes of rebel-held land in an intensive military offensive, and retakes areas overlooking the Golan Heights.
