Israel’s first two F-35 stealth fighter jets on their maiden flight as part of the Israeli Air Force on December 13, 2016. (Israel Defense Forces)
Early on May 14, an Israeli warplane targeted a vehicle near a Syrian town located next to the border with Lebanon, according to Lebanese and Israeli sources.
The vehicle, a pickup, was targeted near the Syrian town of al-Juntliyah in western Homs. Israeli sources claimed that the vehicle was about to move a weapons shipment from the Syrian town, where Hezbollah is known to be present, to Lebanon.
An explosion caused by the strike was reportedly heard by locals on the Lebanese side of the border. No human losses were reported. Some sources on social media claimed that the vehicle’s driver was warned by the Israeli military via a phone call before the strike.
The Syrian Ministry of Defense and the state-run news agency have not commented on these reports, yet. Usually, Damascus is acknowledging Israeli strikes.
The Israeli military carried out similar strikes on the Syrian-Lebanese border before. However, the al-Juntilyah strike, if confirmed, would be a serious reason for escalation as it came amid a heated battle in the Gaza Strip between Palestinian factions and the Israeli military.
Prior to the alleged strike, three rockets were launched from southern Lebanon towards Israel. The Israeli military said the rockets had fallen in sea without causing any damage. Hezbollah denied responsibility for the attack, which may have been carried out by local gunmen in support of Gaza.
These developments, even if very minor, indicate that the ongoing battle in Gaza may spill over to Syria and Lebanon.
