Israeli troops entered Syria for the first time in 50 years

Israeli ground forces this weekend for the first time since the October War of 1973 openly crossed into Syrian territory, crossing the demilitarized zone on the border. This was reported by two Israeli officials on condition of anonymity, writes The New York Times.

It is noted that this move by Israel took place against the backdrop of a successful offensive by the Syrian rebels, which removed President Bashar al-Assad from power, causing concern among neighboring states due to possible destabilization of the region.

Israeli troops control the top of Mount Hermon on the Syrian side of the border, as well as several other strategic positions needed to stabilize the situation in the region.

Israeli Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi confirmed on Saturday evening that Israeli troops had moved across the demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights. He noted that “Israel has deployed troops to Syria,” without giving further details.

The publication notes that Israel has been secretly operating in Syria for years as part of the conflict with Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Lebanese group that has fought on the side of Bashar al-Assad’s government.

However, recently, the Israeli army has been more open about the strikes in Syria, saying that they are aimed at Hezbollah’s supply routes. However, the deployment of ground troops outside the demilitarized zone in Syria is a significant shift in Israeli policy, the first since the 1973 ceasefire agreement that formally ended the last war between Israel and Syria.

The Israeli air force carried out strikes in Syria over the weekend to destroy military installations that could fall into rebel hands and pose a strategic threat to Israel.

The targets include small stockpiles of chemical weapons remaining in Syria, including mustard gas and VX gas despite earlier disarmament agreements, the officials said. Radar installations, Russian-made anti-aircraft batteries and stocks of Scud missiles were also destroyed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that he had ordered troops to take control of the buffer zone between Israel and Syria. He said Israeli troops had taken over military positions vacated by Syrian troops, although he did not say whether they had crossed into Syrian territory.

“We have ordered the Israeli army to take control of these positions to ensure that no hostile forces gain a foothold on Israel’s borders. This is a temporary defensive position until an appropriate solution is found,” Netanyahu said. .

Israeli military spokesman Avichai Adrai on Sunday declared a curfew in five Syrian villages in the buffer zone, ordering residents to stay at home “until further notice.”

Israeli forces said they “do not interfere in internal events in Syria” but added that they “continue to operate to protect the buffer zone and ensure Israel’s security.”

Israeli analysts and officials have expressed concern that the fall of Assad’s government could strengthen the hand of extremist groups seeking to attack Israel.

Although Netanyahu said the troop deployment was temporary, the move could raise concerns that Israel would take advantage of the instability in Syria to strengthen its position in the region.

We remind you that on Sunday morning the IDF officially confirmed the deployment of its troops in the buffer zone in the Golan Heights after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria.