According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an Israeli force penetrated into Syrian territory in Quneitra and arrested two young men from the central Quneitra countryside who were near the border. The IDF took them into the Israeli Golan Heights, with no information given about their fate. In addition, there are Arab reports that Israel has taken over the Syrian side of the Hermon mountain.
Since the beginning of this year, Israeli attacks have been repeated on a large scale against Syrian civilians in the areas located on the border with the Syrian Golan, through the incursion of soldiers into Syrian territory, the arrest of people, and shooting, SOHR reported.
לאור הערכת מצב שמתקיימת מאתמול במטכ״ל ובפיקוד הצפון, ולאור ההתפתחויות בלחימה הפנימית בסוריה, הוחלט על תגבור כוחות אוויריים וקרקעיים בגזרת רמת הגולן.
כוחות צה״ל פרוסים במרחב הגבול ומעלים כשירות ומוכנות בהתאם לתרחישים השונים >> pic.twitter.com/SSV98JmxIv
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) December 6, 2024
Israel sent a message to the rebels in southern Syria that the IDF would act forcefully if they dared to cross the Israel-Syria border. This means that a direct channel has been opened between Israel and opponents of Bashar Assad’s regime. Kan 11 announced Saturday night that initial talks had been held between the Kurds in Syria and official representatives in Israel.
צה"ל: "פרסנו כוחות באזור החיץ ובנקודות הנחוצות להגנה, לא מתערבים באירועים בסוריה"https://t.co/idFITuvRCr@OrHeller pic.twitter.com/e4UGyJvKau
— חדשות 13 (@newsisrael13) December 8, 2024
Government officials in northeastern Syria, a Kurdish stronghold, have approached Israeli officials in recent days, following Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s statement that Israel was seeking to form an alliance with minorities in Syria and Iraq, including the Kurds.
IDF forces on Saturday entered the buffer zone on the Syrian border, which according to the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement is supposed to be demilitarized. The army says that they have deployed forces there for defensive purposes, since after rebel forces overthrew the Assad regime, there are many armed groups in the area who belong to organizations that are not bound by the agreement. At the same time, the IDF would also strengthen its forces on the Golan Heights.
The IDF is now seeking to create a defensive line in the Golan Heights and will not allow access from Syria to the border fence. This is due to concerns that armed groups will breach the fence or that civilians will try to flee to Israel, fearing for their lives. In addition, the IDF is preparing for developments in the Druze villages across the border and estimates that if rebel forces enter their territory, the Druze living in Israel will try to help their families across it.
This was reinforced in a statement issued by the Office of the Chief of Staff, in which Major General Herzi Halevi stressed the need to closely monitor developments on the northern border and be prepared for any scenario.
On Saturday, the IDF spokesperson’s office reported that after assessing the situation, it was decided to reinforce the Syrian front “for defensive missions” in the Golan Heights area, near the border with Syria. “The reinforcement will enable the strengthening of defense in the area, and the preparation of forces for various scenarios in the sector,” the IDF announced.
