Israel is establishing extensive military and civilian control in southern Syria, the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar reported Wednesday. According to the report, the IDF has taken control of the buffer zone in southern Syria, including cities, towns, and strategic hills, and reached the suburbs of Daraa and taken control of the Yarmouk Basin and the freshwater sources in the area.
Since the fall of the Assad regime, Al-Akhbar noted, Israeli forces have entered deep into Syrian territory and taken control of large areas along the buffer zone, more than 20 kilometers deep in some areas, including taking control of the strategic Mount Hermon peak. This is while UN peacekeeping forces are absent from the scene, and the new government in Damascus is distancing itself from what is happening in the south, claiming that the country cannot bear more wars.
Druze in southern Syria gave a Druze IDF soldier a symbol representing prayer and holiness. Amazing to see.pic.twitter.com/p3exe0Iv0F
— Vivid.?? (@VividProwess) December 19, 2024
Several control centers have been established, the most prominent of which is located in the Baath City Hall building in Quneitra, which is used to receive local dignitaries and open wider communication channels with residents. The IDF is carrying out engineering operations designed to prevent terrorists from approaching the forces, as well as the civilians living under Israeli control.
At the same time, there are reports that IDF forces have made arrests in the Quneitra area of people suspected of spying for Hezbollah.
According to the London-based Qatari daily Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed, IDF forces have also carried out several raids and arrests in Syrian villages and towns in recent days, during which suspects of espionage and Hezbollah operatives were arrested. Israel fears that because of the ceasefire in Lebanon, Hezbollah will attempt to carry out terrorist attacks against IDF forces in Syria, under the guise of rebels or Syrian civilians, who are ostensibly not affiliated with them. Israel says that any activity by Hezbollah, in any area, will be met with a severe response from the IDF.
These reports follow several demonstrations in the Daraa province against Israel’s presence in Syria, in one of which, last Friday, a Syrian citizen was injured by IDF fighters’ dispersal fire.
IDF:
During a demonstration against IDF activity that took place in the area of Kfar Maaria in southern Syria, an IDF force that called on the demonstrators to stay away, recognized a threat that required action to be taken to remove it and acted according to the… pic.twitter.com/S3biVYBJlV
— shoko 007 (@SYaacobi) December 20, 2024
As of Wednesday, there have been no clashes between IDF fighters and Syrian civilians, but Israel fears that the demonstrations, which are small at this stage, would develop into a violent protest that could become more complicated in time. Therefore, after being ordered to stay indoors during its operation, the IDF notified Syrian civilians living in areas controlled by Israel that they were allowed to go out to work and cultivate their lands, to encourage a sense of order and security away from the violence further north.
In parallel with the military activity, Al-Akhbar reported that heavy Israeli engineering equipment is carrying out excavation work on various hills, erecting earthen obstacles, and installing surveillance cameras and communications and intelligence equipment. This is part of establishing an infrastructure for future control of the area, whether through a direct presence or by placing the residents under constant surveillance.
As of today, it is not known how long the IDF will remain in the area it occupies in southern Syria. The IDF continues to carry out engineering operations in the border area and inside Syrian territory to protect the forces there and establish their operational control. In addition, it was reported that Israel also intends to build outposts on the Syrian Hermon, which was taken over by an IDF special force. The force has since been replaced by regular units.
The new rulers of Syria have been sending out messages demanding that Israel return to the ceasefire line, and the US and other countries have also begun to exert pressure on the Netanyahu cabinet to retreat. However, it appears the IDF is preparing to rule southern Syria for as long as the political echelon desires.
