On 5 December, the Israeli military announced in a statement that troops near the Syrian border are gearing up “for any scenario in attack and defense” as Turkish and US-supported extremist groups continue to breach Syrian defenses in the west.
“The IDF will not allow a threat near the Syrian–Israeli border and will act to thwart any threat to the citizens of the State of Israel,” the statement emphasized.
This declaration follows recent allegations from the UN accusing Tel Aviv of “serious violations” of a decades-old ceasefire agreement with Damascus. These accusations arose after Israel began constructing a ‘separation wall’ in the occupied Golan Heights, similar to those along the borders with Lebanon, Egypt, Gaza, and the West Bank.
Amid escalating tensions in western Syria, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi convened with senior military officials to evaluate the situation. Subsequent to the meeting, local sources reported that the military heightened its readiness to a state of “maximum alert” along the Syrian border.
“[Israel’s interest is] that they continue fighting one another … It’s entirely clear to us that one side is Salafi jihadists and the other side is Iran and Hezbollah. We want them to weaken one another,” an Israeli source stated to the Times of Israel.
Extremists still unbridled in Syria!
Earlier the same day, extremist factions led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), previously known as Al-Qaeda’s Nusra Front, seized control of the city of Hama in central Syria following fierce clashes with the Syrian Arab Army (SAA).
To avoid endangering civilians during the battle for Hama, the SAA issued a statement explaining their decision to withdraw from the city and reposition their forces outside urban areas.
HTS launched an unexpected large-scale offensive targeting SAA positions in Aleppo and surrounding regions last week, coinciding with the initiation of a ceasefire in neighbouring Lebanon. Meanwhile, the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA), which reportedly includes numerous former ISIS fighters, also joined the attack.
Despite launching a counteroffensive with support from the Russian air force, Damascus has lost control of several towns and villages to these extremist groups.
In an interview with i24News on Thursday, a purported SNA commander addressed their fight against what he termed “a common enemy,” referring to Iran, its allied militias, Hezbollah, and the Assad regime. He added, “We respect and sympathize with these countries for their activities against Iran, the umbrella that leads terrorism. We expect there to be a concerted effort to eliminate the enemy and achieve stability. Unfortunately, if we do not know how to take advantage of this historic opportunity, the situation will become worse than it is now.”
