TPC Staff
The Palestine Chronicle / December 21, 2024
So far, Israel has occupied nearly 500 square kilometers of southern Syria, demolishing Syrian military positions on the slopes of Mount Hermon and the hills of Quneitra and Daraa.
Israeli occupation forces have established military outposts on a strategic hill in northern Quneitra, southern Syria, the Lebanese news network Al-Mayadeen reported.
This development reportedly follows the installation of surveillance cameras and the paving of slopes in the area.
According to media reports, Israeli forces have stationed themselves on strategic hills and within military barracks across Quneitra Governorate after deploying additional reinforcements.
These moves coincide with Israel’s occupation of approximately 95 percent of the governorate.
In recent days, the Israeli military has been bulldozing agricultural land and nature reserves to construct military roads linking northern Quneitra villages to the slopes of Mount Hermon in northern Beit Jinn, located in southwestern rural Damascus, Al-Mayadeen also reported.
So far, Israel has occupied nearly 500 square kilometers of southern Syria, demolishing Syrian military positions on the slopes of Mount Hermon and the hills of Quneitra and Daraa.
The Israeli military’s expansion in southern Syria has extended from the town of Sayda eastward, penetrating 9 kilometers deep and reaching significant water bodies, including Sheikh Hussein, the Sahm Golan Dam, and the western Bakara.
Israeli media outlets revealed on Friday that the Israeli military is preparing for a prolonged deployment in Syria.
The Israeli newspaper Walla reported that, despite pressure from European countries, Israeli political leadership has instructed the military to prepare for an extended stay in Syrian territory.
The report highlighted that intelligence agencies failed to anticipate the rapid collapse of the former Syrian government’s army, leading to the current situation where Israel is solidifying its presence in the region.
Two days ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to remain in the Mount Hermon region and the UN-patrolled buffer zone until at least the end of 2025, according to Israeli Army Radio.
Additionally, Israeli Security Minister Israel Katz confirmed that Netanyahu held a security briefing earlier this week atop the strategic Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights, a region occupied by Israel earlier this month.
Israel initially seized part of the Syrian Golan Heights during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and later annexed the territory in a move widely condemned by the international community.
