JERUSALEM (AFP) - Israeli army helicopters struck military targets in southern Syrian on Friday (July 24) in retaliation for earlier "munitions" fire towards Israel from inside Syria, escalating tensions between the bitter rivals.

Israeli "attack helicopters struck military targets in southern Syria belonging to the Syrian Armed Forces. A number of targets were struck, including SAF observation posts and intelligence collection systems located in SAF bases," an Israeli army statement said.

Syrian state news agency Sana reported that Israeli missiles hit three targets, leaving two people "lightly wounded" while starting forest fires.

Israel said the strikes were in response to "munitions... fired from Syria" towards the Golan Heights, which Israel has occupied since the 1967 Six Day War.

Earlier, Israel said "explosions" along the border damaged a vehicle and a civilian building on the Israeli-controlled side of the security fence.

It did not blame Syrian forces for the munitions fire, but said it held the Damascus government responsible for the incident.