Desk report
Israeli forces entered the Golan Heights on Sunday, following the fall of former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad by rebels. It is a region in southwestern Syria. Israel has reportedly been monitoring the area since the 1960s.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that “in light of recent developments in Syria, armed individuals have entered the buffer zone. Israeli forces have been deployed in the buffer zone and other strategic locations. The aim is to ensure the safety of the Golan Heights communities and Israeli citizens.
The statement added, “We emphasize that the IDF does not interfere in internal affairs in Syria. However, steps will be taken as necessary to protect the buffer zone and protect Israeli citizens.”
A report in Newsweek on Monday said that Israel’s entry into Syria is a significant development, especially when the country is currently at war with Lebanon, Iran and Gaza. The entry of troops into new territory could open a fourth war front for Israel.
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It is reported that Israel has entered Syria for the first time since a 1974 agreement. The 50-year-old agreement established a ceasefire between Israel and Syria and stipulated the maintenance of a buffer zone between the two countries.
The IDF said its deployment was temporary and coordinated with the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), which has long been monitoring the buffer zone between Israel and Syria.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Israeli tanks and armored vehicles have been deployed in the Quneitra region. Israeli forces have been accused of approaching civilian homes in the village of al-Hamidiya.
Israeli forces have also been accused of arresting civilians and taking all the residents of a village to a school.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu celebrated the fall of Assad’s regime in a post on X, saying, “This is a historic day for the Middle East. The fall of the Damascus dictatorship has opened up new possibilities, although they are risky. We call on everyone outside Syria’s borders to seek peace.”
The Golan Heights have long been a desired territory for Israel. They captured the territory in the Six-Day War in 1967, and Israel included it in its own map in 1981. Although the area is internationally recognized as belonging to Syria, in 2019, then-US President Donald Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over the area.
