Turkey has launched strikes inside Syria after a bomb fired from Syrian territory killed five Turkish civilians. The victims were a family of five in a village near the Syrian border. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said his government had every right to respond with force.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc: “There has been an attack on Turkey’s mainland, and its citizens lost their lives. There is definitely a response to it in international law. Turkey is a NATO member. Certain NATO treaty articles bring about certain responsibilities when one of its members is attacked. We are not blinded by rage, but we will protect our rights to the end in the face of such an attack on our soil that killed our people.”

Wednesday’s violence marked the deadliest cross-border flare-up between the two countries since the uprising in Syria began nearly two years ago. There have been unconfirmed reports that Syrian troops were killed overnight. Syrian Information Minister Omran Zoabi said his government is investigating the attack inside Turkey and offered condolences to the Turkish victims.

Syrian Information Minister Omran Zoabi: “The authorities are investigating the fire source that led to the death of the mother and her children near the Syrian-Turkish borders. We console the family of the martyr and Turkish people who will remain brothers and friends.”

The border violence between Turkey and Syria came hours after dozens of people were killed in a series of bombings in the restive Syrian city of Aleppo. Activists say the death toll stands at over 40 people, with another 90 wounded, most of them Syrian government forces.