Arabs in Syria fired several shells at Israeli locations. Photo: Twitter.

Tensions are rising along the Syrian-Israeli border after the Israeli Air Force (IAF) killed four terrorists who infiltrated from Syria and planted explosives in the Golan Heights, the Jerusalem Post reports.

The IAF observed the terrorists planting the explosive devices before ordering the strike.

The IDF is continuing to conduct routine security missions in the area, and stated that it will not “tolerate any attempt to harm or violate Israeli sovereignty.”

This development comes amid rising border tensions and reports of an alleged Israeli air strike against strategic Syrian military sites housing long-range missiles, intended for the terrorist organization Hezbollah.

The “raid was a pre-emptive strike to prevent a plan to hit strategic targets in the Golan, which would draw Israel into a war with Syria, and shuffle the cards,” a Western diplomatic source confirmed to Al Jarida – as reported by the Jerusalem Post.

Israel’s Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon warned Iran not to supply Hezbollah with advanced weaponry. His comments came the day after the alleged air strike in Syria and hours before Israel foiled the terrorist infiltration into its territory.

“We will not allow the transfer of sophisticated weapons to terror groups, and in particular Hezbollah,” Ya’alon said.

In January, the Israeli Air Force reportedly hit a military convoy in the Syrian border town of Quneitra, killing six senior Hizballah operatives and six senior Iranian IRGC officials, including a brigadier general. A Western intelligence source revealed that Hezbollah was trying to create an operating base on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights with Iranian assistance. The base would be used to carry out cross-border attacks and fire rockets into Israel.

Even though Israel will not reveal the organizational source of this past week’s infiltration, the incident highlights the deteriorating security situation on the Syrian border as terrorist organizations devoted to Israel’s destruction expand their presence in the region.

Steven Emerson is the Executive Director the Investigative Project on Terrorism (www.investigativeproject.org) where this article first appeared.