Israeli army says it hit militants placing explosives along Syrian border

Israeli army says soldiers saw group near frontier outpost overnight and fired at them

An Israeli soldier checks on a machine gun turret atop a Merkava battle tank stationed in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights AFP

The Israeli army on Monday said it fired at and hit a group of militants placing explosives along the border fence with Syria on the Golan Heights.

The military said soldiers saw the group near a frontier outpost overnight and, backed by air support, "fired simultaneously towards the squad of four terrorists. A hit was identified".

No Israelis were injured.

There was no immediate comment from Syria.

Tension has risen in recent weeks along the border after a fighter from the Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah was killed in an Israeli strike on the edge of Damascus.

Israel has since boosted its forces on its northern front, where it borders Lebanon and Syria.

The military said it "holds the Syrian regime responsible for all events on Syrian soil and will not tolerate any violation of Israeli sovereignty".