Israel exchanges fire with Syria along border

Tensions flare in the Golan Heights.

Syria says it destroyed an Israeli vehicle that crossed into its territory from the border region Tuesday.

But Israel claims the vehicle was hit on its side of the Golan ceasefire line, prompting Israeli forces to return fire into Syria.

The defence minister said Israel was not intervening in Syria's civil war.

(SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) ISRAELI DEFENCE MINISTER MOSHE YAALON SAYING:

"We are not allowing and we will not permit a spillover of fire into our territory," he said. "Overnight, a Syrian army target was destroyed after such gunfire spilled into our territory in the Golan Heights."

The Golan Heights frontline has been largely quiet for nearly four decades.

But Israeli airstrikes on targets inside Syria have spurred threats from Damascus as the conflict spills into neighbouring countries.