JERUSALEM, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Israeli troops on Monday crossed into Syrian territory to stop four Syrian men who allegedly attempted to smuggle explosives into Israel, the Israeli military said.
One Syrian was hit by a bullet to his lower body and was in serious condition when evacuated by a helicopter to a hospital in Israel, while the other three fled without being shot, the military said in a statement.
In the incident, Israeli observation soldiers noticed four suspects "hurling objects along the border fence with Syria toward Israeli territory," the statement read, adding "soldiers crossed the border and operated to stop the suspects by firing toward one of the suspects' legs."
The incident came two days after Israel carried out an airstrike on the Damascus International Airport and other sites south of the Syrian capital, according to a statement issued by the Syrian Defense Ministry. Five soldiers were killed in the attack and material damage was caused. ■
