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Israel says its air defense system intercepts missile fired at Golan Heights

According to Israeli state-owned radio KAN, neither injuries nor damage have been reported

Iron Dome Missile Defense System EPA-EFE/ABIR SULTAN

Iron Dome Missile Defense System

© EPA-EFE/ABIR SULTAN

TEL AVIV, January 20. /TASS/. Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system on Sunday intercepted a missile fired at the Golan Heights, the Israel Defense Forces’ press service said.

"Some time ago a missile was fired at the northern part of the Golan Heights and was intercepted by the Iron Dome air defense system," the IDF said in a statement.

According to Israeli state-owned radio KAN, neither injuries nor damage have been reported.

Earlier, Syria’s SANA news agency reported that the country’s air defenses had repelled an Israeli air attack in the south.

On January 13, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that in order to prevent growing Iranian military presence in Syria, Israel was ready to enhance strikes on Iranian facilities in the neighboring country. He also admitted that Israel carried out a strike overnight to January 12 at a warehouse storing weapons at the international airport of Damascus. The premier said this move showed Israel’s readiness to prevent Iran’s efforts to entrench militarily in Syria.

Israel took control over the Golan Heights that had been part of Syria since 1944 after the Six-Day War in 1967. In 1981, Israel’s Knesset (parliament) passed a law on the Golan Heights unilaterally proclaiming Israel’s sovereignty over this territory. United Nations Security Council Resolution 497 of December 17, 1981, ruled that the annexation was null and void, having no international legal effect.

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