In light of recent events, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have ushered in additional troops along the border with Syria, in the Golan Heights area. The IDF’s move to deploy more troops follows growing worries about security threats, particularly the infiltration of armed people into the buffer zone separating Syria and Israel. This deployment is purportedly to increase the safety of Israeli citizens and Israelis living in Golan Heights communities.
In a statement, the IDF underscored that while it is conducting defensive operations as necessary, it does not seek to meddle in the internal affairs of Syria. It was announced just hours after news that tensions were rising on the Syrian side of their border, especially in the Quneitra area. Preliminary reports of Israeli military tanks entering Syria and firing artillery went unconfirmed, underscoring the high state of alert.
The development occurred during a period of dramatic changes in Syria, where rebels recently expressed that they had taken Damascus and overthrown the Assad regime. Though these claims have yet to be fully verified, the current rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad has alarmed neighboring countries, most notably Israel, over the risk of regional instability.
Israel has long had a strategic interest in the Golan Heights, which it seized during the 1967 Six-Day War. Over the years the area has continued to be a major point of friction in Israel-Syria relations. Israel Defense Forces have maintained a constant watch over its border, working to thwart the infiltration of hostile forces from Syria, especially in light of the presence of Iran and Hezbollah, who have only been further involved in the area12.
According to Anadolu, the Israeli army said: “Following an assessment of the situation, it was decided to call up additional forces for defensive operations in the Golan Heights, near the Syrian border.”
Israel’s military deployment in response to the Syrian civil war exemplifies a measured response to regional threats and the dynamic nature of state versus non-state adversaries.
