Israel, Syria trade rocket fire; Israel blames Islamic Jihad

JERUSALEM, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- No injuries were reported Thursday when Israel and Syria exchanged rocket fire near the Golan Heights area.

Israeli officials said military aircraft struck 14 sites in Syria's Golan Heights in retaliation for rockets that landed near a village in northern Israel earlier in the day.

"The army sees Syria as responsible for the fire, and it will pay the price for it," an Israeli military spokesman told Haaretz.

Israel blamed Palestinian group Islamic Jihad for the rockets fired from Golan Heights, the BBC reported. Members of the group denied the allegation.

Israel "holds the Syrian government responsible for attacks emanating from Syria," a statement from the Israeli military said.

Islamic Jihad had previously threatened attacks should one of its members, Mohammad Allan, die of a hunger strike while in detention in Israel. Allan was hospitalized and fell into a coma with brain damage after more than 65 days without food.

Israel's Supreme Court on Wednesday temporarily suspended Allan's detention, and he subsequently ended his hunger strike.