Turkish forces are patrolling near the Syrian border Friday following a deadly attack earlier this week.

The patrols come after Turkish forces shelled Syrian targets and Turkey's parliament authorized military operations outside its borders if necessary.

The Turkish shelling followed a cross-border mortar attack on the Turkish town of Akcakale that killed five civilians Wednesday.

On Thursday, the U.N. Security Council condemned the attack on Akcakale, one of the most serious cross-border incidents in Syria's 18-month uprising.

The Council said the incident “highlighted the grave impact the crisis in Syria has on the security of its neighbors and on regional peace and stability.”

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey has no intention of starting a war, but is determined to defend its borders and citizens.

Meanwhile, activists reported that Syrian warplanes and artillery bombarded the city of Homs Friday, in the heaviest attack to hit that city in five months.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also said shelling by the military elsewhere in Homs province Friday killed four civilians.

Fighting between regime forces and rebels was also reported in Deir Ezzor.