Senior Israeli army officials told The Jerusalem Post in remarks published on Monday that the chances of all-out war with Syria remain high, and that Israel's military is on highest alert.

On Sunday, Israeli forces on the Golan Heights made an emergency rush to the border after the silent alarm that notifies the military of any possible infiltration was sounded. The responding troops later said the alarm was likely set off by a roving animal on the Syrian side of the border, though the incident highlighted the high tension along the border.

A day earlier, Israeli air force jets were scrambled toward the Syrian border after a Syria fighter disappeared from radars. Israel later confirmed that the Syrian jet had crashed inside its own borders, and was likely not on a hostile mission.

Syria has threatened to retaliate for an alleged Israeli air force raid on a suspected nuclear installation deep inside Syrian territory three weeks ago.

Last week, Israeli President Shimon Peres claimed in a public address that the period of tension between Israel and Syria had come to an end.