Israeli troops in the occupied Golan Heights have come under small arms fire from Syria, Israeli military officials have said.

No one was injured in the incident on Sunday, but it was been reported to the United Nations force that monitors the area, an Israeli army spokesman said.

"In the afternoon, there were a number of bullets fired from Syria at an Israeli army force doing engineering work near the fence," he said.

"No one was hurt but a vehicle was damaged.

"Forces in the field are examining the incident and a complaint was sent to UNDOF which sent a team there. The circumstances of the incident are still unclear."

The Israeli military spokesman said that Israeli troops did not return fire.

There was no immediate comment on the incident from Damascus.

On alert

Israeli forces along the country's northern borders have been on alert since the aerial and ground assault on the Gaza Strip, that has killed nearly 900 Palestinians, began 16 days ago.

Three rockets were fired from Syria's neighbour Lebanon on Friday, an attack that Israeli and Lebanese officials blamed on Palestinian refugees.

There have been angry protests in Syria, which is home to a number of exiled Palestinian Hamas leaders, over Israel's actions in the territory. 

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967 and later annexed the area although the move has not been recognised internationally.

Syria began Turkish-mediated indirect peace talks with Israel last year. Damascus said it had broken off the negotiation after Israel began to bombard the Gaza Strip.