File image.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) appears to be preparing to expand its operations in Syria’s southern region as the situation in the war-torn country remains unstable.
On March 4, Daraa 24, a Syrian news blog, reported that Israeli troops were operating close to the strategic hill of al-Mal in the in the western countryside of Daraa, where a military post belonging to the former Syrian Arab Army once stood. The hill is located some 13 kilometers from Israel’s border, outside the Golan Heights buffer zone between the countries.
Sounds of bulldozers can be heard in the area, as well as overhead flights of helicopters and drones, according to Daraa 24, which noted that IDF vehicles were also seen in the nearby town of Masharah, and on a road connecting the town to the town of al-Tyha.
The IDF occupied the Golan Heights buffer zone just hours after the fall of the regime of former president Bashar al-Assad last December. The military also launched hundreds of strikes against Syria, destroying most of the country’s advanced weapons.
Speaking to United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on March 4, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz thanked Washington for its efforts to help create secure buffer zones inside Syria and Lebanon.
“The defense minister briefed the defense secretary about IDF operations in Judea and Samaria against terror in refugee camps and emphasized the importance of security zones in Lebanon and Syria, and thanked him for the backing,” a statement from Katz’s office reads.
Recent Hebrew and Arab media reports suggest that Israel is planning to extend its operational occupation zone 15 kilometers inside southern Syrian, creating a zone of influence stretching around 60 kilometers under Israeli intelligence control.
Preparations for such a move appear to be already underway. On March 4, the IDF announced that it was carrying out activities to clear explosives from an area of the Golan Heights near Syrian territories.
Crews were being deployed to areas around the town of Ein Zivan to clear mines and other unexploded ordnance in the ground there, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
“As part of the planned operations, blasts from explosions will be heard and clouds of smoke will be seen in the area,” it added.
It’s worth noting that just a day earlier two waves of Israeli strikes hit military sites on the Syrian coast. There were also reports of the IDF sending warning messaging to the mobile phones of locals there as well as in the western Homs countryside.
In addition, the IDF was about to launch a military operation against Syrian government forces after deadly clashes in a Druze-majority district in the southern outskirts of the capital, Damascus, last week.
All in all, Israel is not happy with the current situation in Syria, and it is clearly working to change it. Senior Israeli officials have already stated their desire to turn Syria into a federation, an idea that was strictly rejected by the Islamist rulers in Damascus. In the end, if the IDF was ordered to move deeper into the country, Syrian government forces, which are poorly armed, will not likely be able to do anything.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com
“israel is not happy with the current situation in syria, and it is clearly working to change it” what do you mean? they seem extremely happy to me, they have absolute freedom of movement, no one is challenging them, no one can challenge them even if they wanted to. i mean zionists frown only while justifying their further action (the jew shrieks in pain as he strikes you) but as soon as you look away their frown turns into a massive grin.
the whole of syria belongs to israel, because moses had a crap there 5,000 years ago, or something (allegedly.)
the zios just want another big land grab
israel gonna need some stuff; that is staff. maybe experienced and capable, for iran it must be easier to have place or role in campaign as individual. for now either side seems quiet and ignorant.