JERUSALEM — Israel's military says stray mortar shells from the fighting in Syria have struck a popular tourist site, Mt. Hermon in the Golan Heights.

The military says the shells struck early on Wednesday, apparently landing on an empty ski slope.

Mortar shells have landed in the Golan before but this was the first time they hit Mt. Hermon, a site popular with Israeli tourists in wintertime.

The military says it didn't fire back but temporarily closed Mt Hermon for visitors.

Israel believes most of the cases of mortars in the Golan have been accidental but has responded occasionally.

Israel is widely believed to have carried out three airstrikes on suspected Syrian weapon caches that were believed to have been en route to Lebanon's Hezbollah militants.