Al Mayadeen: Israel establishes military positions, expands control in the south Syria

Israeli armored vehicles maneuvering in the buffer zone at the Quneitra crossing between Israel and Syria, observed from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Photo: AP

Israeli occupation forces have established military positions atop a strategic hill north of Quneitra, southern Syria, in a clear violation of Syria's territorial integrity, stresses ‘Al Mayadeen’.

Israeli occupation forces have established military positions atop a strategic north of Quneitra in southern Syria, Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Syria confirmed. This coincides with the Israeli occupation's actions of paving the slopes of the hill and installing surveillance cameras in the area.

Media reports indicated that Israeli forces have stationed themselves on all strategic hills and inside military barracks in Quneitra Governorate, southern Syria, after bringing in additional reinforcements to the area, following their occupation of approximately 95% of the governorate.

In recent days, the Israeli occupation has been bulldozing agricultural land and nature reserves to create military roads linking the villages of northern Quneitra with the slopes of Mount Hermon in the northern region of Beit Jinn, the southwesternmost part of rural Damascus.

To date, Israel has completely occupied nearly 500 square kilometers of southern Syria, demolishing all Syrian military sites on the slopes of Mount Hermon and the hills of Quneitra and Daraa.

The Israeli occupation's military has expanded its advance in southern Syria, starting from the town of Sayda and moving eastward, advancing 9 kilometers deep, reaching three important water bodies in the area: Sheikh Hussein, the Sahm Golan Dam, and the western Bakara.

Israeli media reported that the Israeli military is preparing for an extended presence in Syria.

According to Walla, "Despite pressure from European parties on Israel, political leaders have instructed the Israeli army to brace for a prolonged stay in Syrian territory."

The report also noted that no intelligence agency had predicted the rapid collapse of the former Syrian regime's army, and as a result, the Israeli military is now establishing a more significant presence in the region.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the military to prepare to remain in the Syrian Mount Hermon area and the UN-patrolled buffer zone until at least the end of 2025, Israeli Army Radio reported.

Moreover, Israeli Security Minister Israel Katz said that Netanyahu conducted a security briefing atop the strategic Syrian Mount Hermon of the Golan Heights, which Israel occupied earlier this month.

Israel first captured part of the Syrian Golan Heights during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, and later annexed the territory in a move that has been condemned worldwide.

read more in our Telegram-channel https://t.me/The_International_Affairs