A view of Syria from the Israeli side of the border. Photo: WikiMedia Commons.

For the first time in decades, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) was the direct target of an attack in the Golan Heights, where an improvised explosive device was detonated Friday on the eastern side of the border. No one was injured and an army jeep targeted in the attack sustained minor damage.

This was the first time since the outbreak of Syria’s ongoing civil war that an IED was deliberately aimed at the IDF. No organization has claimed responsibility for the incident.

There is growing concern within Israel’s defense establishment that a lessening of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s control over his country would bring chaos to Israel’s north that could undermine regional stability, Israeli daily Israel Hayom reported. In recent months, Global Jihad and Hezbollah fighters – many of whom have come from Iraq and Lebanon – have established themselves in Syria.

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe (Bogie) Ya’alon said on Saturday: “Syria is in the midst of a war whose end we don’t see in sight. While we are not interfering in this civil war, we have established clear red lines. We will not allow the transfer of weapons that could tip the balance of power into enemy hands. Specifically with regards to Hezbollah, we will thwart any attempt at delivering chemical weapons that would infringe upon our sovereignty in the Golan Heights. We advise all parties on the other side of the border to not test us, because we will continue to defend our interests. “