File image.
On February 20, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced that a suspect who had been detained after crossing from Syria into the occupied Golan Heights last month was involved in efforts by the Lebanese Hezbollah terror group to gather intelligence.
The military said that the suspect, Ghaith Abdullah, was part of the so-called “Golan File,” or “Project Golan,” a network of armed cells that Hezbollah is allegedly building in Syria’ southern region to gather intelligence and even launch attacks against Israel.
Click to see full-size image. Source: the Israeli Defense Forces.
Abdullah was captured by troops from the IDF’s Unit 621 “Egoz” alongside another man, who was not apparently involved in Hezbollah’s efforts, near the Syrian village of al-Asbah on January 27.
“During the questioning, Ghaith [Abdullah] provided information regarding additional terrorist operatives that promote terrorist activities in the area of the border,” the IDF said in a statement.
Click to see full-size image. Source: the Israeli Defense Forces.
According to the statement, Abdullah was a squad commander involved in advancing attacks against Israel. The IDF named another operative in his squad, the leader of another squad, and a Syrian man involved in recruiting new members.
Click to see full-size image. Source: the Israeli Defense Forces.
“The IDF will not tolerate any terrorist activity from southern Syria and will maintain the sovereignty of the State of Israel,” it added.
To counter the alleged “Golan File” plot, Israel stepped up its military activities along the Goan front significantly in the last few years.
The IDF strikes targets, like observation posts, conduct special ground operations against others and demolish fortifications on the Syrian-held side of the Golan and within the United Nation-monitored buffer zone on a regular basis to prevent Hezbollah and other Iran-allied armed factions from entrenching themselves on the front.
