"We sent our warplanes over different parts of Syria and Lebanon as a warning sign," a senior Israeli defence official told the Yediot Aharonot daily.

The F-16 planes flew at a low altitude, evading Syrian air defence systems, and arrived back at base without incident, Maariv reported.

A 16-year-old Israeli was killed and five others wounded last Sunday in the northern village of Shlomi, which lies close to both Lebanon and Syria, after attacks by the Lebanese-based Hezbollah militia.

It was the second attack in three days by Hezbollah, and fuelled fears of the reopening of a new front after a seven-month lull.

But Israel has said it wants a "diplomatic" solution and no further attacks have been reported in the area in the past week.

Syria is the key power-broker in Lebanon, where Hezbollah spearheaded a guerrilla war that led to Israel forces withdrawing from the south of the country in 2000 after two decades of occupation.

WAR.WIRE