Israel strikes Syria after blaming Al Shara for rocket fire

Warning sirens sounded across northern Israel after what appears to be the first rocket fire from Syria in more than a year

The Israeli military said it was shelling targets in Syria on Tuesday after Defence Minister Israel Katz said Syrian leader Ahmad Al Shara was "directly responsible" for rocket fire launched towards Israel for the first time in more than a year.

Two initial rockets fired from Syria into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights fell in open areas and caused no injuries, the Israeli military said. Soon after, the military announced it was investigating why sirens were also sounding in the Nazareth area in nearby Galilee.

The warnings came as sirens sounded across large parts of central Israel after a missile launch from Yemen, which the military said it intercepted.

"We consider the Syrian President directly responsible for every threat and firing towards the state of Israel and the full response will come as soon as possible," said Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz. "We will not allow a return to the reality of October 7."

Mr Katz was referring to 2023, when Hamas-led militants invaded southern Israel communities, killing 1,200 people and taking about 240 people into Gaza as hostages.

The Syrian government denied involvement. "We believe that there are many parties that may seek to destabilise the region to achieve their own interests," Al Watan News quoted the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as saying.

"We affirm that Syria has not and will not pose a threat to any party in the region, and that the top priority in southern Syria is to extend state authority and end the presence of weapons outside official institutions, ensuring security and stability for all citizens."

The Israeli military confirmed it had carried out strikes in southern Syria after the rocket fire. Israel also bombed western Syria in recent days, killing at least one person.

Syria's official Sana news agency reported shelling "targeting the Yarmuk Basin, in the west of Daraa" province.

UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said bombardments had hit farmland in the province, without reporting casualties.

"Violent explosions shook southern Syria, notably the town of Quneitra and the Daraa region, following Israeli aerial strikes" overnight Tuesday to Wednesday, the monitor said in a statement.

Syrian President Mr Al Shara last month said that his government is holding indirect talks with Israel to bring an end to its attacks on Syria.

Israel has said the strikes are aimed at countering threats from Iran and its proxies, particularly Hezbollah.