Israel says intercepts rockets fired from Syria

Israel’s military said its missile defense system shot down four rockets fired from Syria toward Israel early on Tuesday.

Minutes earlier, sirens warning of incoming rocket fire sounded in the area of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

“Four launches were identified from Syria towards Israeli territory which were intercepted by the Israeli air defense systems,” the army said. “No hits on Israeli communities were identified.”

Israel captured the Golan from Syria in a 1967 war and later annexed and settled it – moves not accepted by most world powers.

Israel says it needs to keep the plateau as a buffer zone between Israeli towns and the instability of its neighbor to the north. Syria insists that the part of the Golan held by Israel is occupied territory and has demanded its return.