Israeli military forces executed targeted ground raids inside southern Syria, as troops seized significant weapon caches and questioned individuals suspected of arms trafficking, the military said in a statement on Sunday. This operation marks the latest Israeli cross-border incursion since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.
Details of the Mission
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed troops completed “a mission involving on-site questioning of several suspects” near the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. Israeli forces simultaneously entered four locations within the Hader area during the operation. Furthermore, soldiers successfully located numerous weapons trafficked by the suspects, the military detailed.
Released military footage depicted uniformed Israeli troops operating at night, utilizing armored vehicles and moving on foot. Consequently, an Israeli army division remains actively deployed in the region to continue operations to prevent terrorist entrenchment in Syria, aiming specifically to protect Israeli civilians and Golan Heights residents.
Recent Actions
Israel significantly bolstered its presence on the Golan Heights late last year, following the Islamist-led offensive that ultimately toppled Syrian President Assad in December. Troops moved into the UN-patrolled buffer zone separating Israeli and Syrian forces since their 1973 war.
The IDF previously launched strikes against Syrian government targets. In July, Israel bombed forces in Damascus and Sweida province, compelling a Syrian withdrawal from the south amid intense sectarian violence. Israel claimed it acted to defend the Druze community; however, some diplomats and analysts argue the true goal involved weakening the Syrian military and pushing the new government away from the border.
Israel initiated hundreds of strikes on Syrian military sites after Assad’s overthrow. The government stated its objective was preventing advanced weapons transfers to new authorities, whom Israel considers jihadists. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu persistently demands the full demilitarization of southern Syria.
