Historic moments were recorded yesterday as fighters from the IDF’s Shaldag unit, special forces unit under the command of the Israeli Air Force, conquered the Syrian Hermon, against the backdrop of concerns about instability following the rebels’ overthrow of Assad’s regime on Saturday, after 11 years of struggle. Following the conquest of the Syrian Hermon and other strategic points, Defense Minister Israel Katz issued instructions to the IDF this morning (Monday) on how to act – immediately.
The Decision on the Conquest of the Syrian Hermon and Defense Efforts
1.The completion of control over the buffer zone in Syria and strategic points
After the IDF continued operations last night to conquer additional positions in the buffer zone and southern Syria, the army was instructed to complete the takeover of these areas and expand its hold in the region. Maintaining control in this area allows Israel to secure its northern border, distance terrorism threats, and establish a stable security presence in this unstable region.
2.Creating a security zone in southern Syria –
The IDF was instructed to create a security zone free of heavy weapons and terror infrastructure in southern Syria, beyond the buffer zone. In this context, the army was directed to neutralize potential threats to Israel and establish contact with local populations, focusing on the Druze and other communities in the area. Working with local populations, particularly with the Druze, who are often relatives of Druze in Israel, generates local support that can be critical for identifying threats and establishing cooperation with IDF forces in the sector.
3.Thwarting the renewal of weapon smuggling routes from Iran to Lebanon
The Defense Minister instructed the IDF to take immediate action to thwart the renewal of weapon smuggling routes from Iran to Lebanon through Syria, focusing on Syrian territories and strategic border crossings. Assad’s Syria has served as a major conduit for Hezbollah’s acquisition of Iranian weapons, and thwarting these weapon transfer routes is now possible thanks to the IDF’s presence in the area. As a reminder, the IDF attacked a convoy of Hezbollah armored vehicles escaping from Al-Qusayr toward Lebanon and is expected to continue such operations to prevent the entry of terrorists and weapons into the borders of Lebanon.
4.Destruction of heavy strategic weaponry throughout Syria
Already on Saturday night, the IDF began attacking weapon depots, chemical weapon production laboratories, and weapon storage facilities around Damascus. Katz instructed the army to continue targeted operations to destroy heavy strategic weaponry throughout Syria, including surface-to-air missiles, air defense systems, surface-to-surface missiles, cruise missiles, long-range rockets, and coastal missiles, in order to ensure Israeli air superiority and weaken the offensive capabilities of the next regime in Syria or other terrorist entities that may threaten Israel.
The Fortification of the Engineering Barrier at the Border Continues: “New East”
Security officials explained that the decision to occupy the Syrian part of the Hermon and to seize a buffer zone by the IDF was made by the security cabinet on Saturday night. As the government understood that the regime of the ousted president Bashar al-Assad was collapsing, the IDF had already entered the area and begun operational activities to implement the government’s decision.
At the same time, all defense departments were mobilized in the homefront, and IDF ground and air forces were deployed along the Golan front. The IDF reported yesterday that “the forces of the Golan Division (474) are operating at the border in efforts to gather information and protect the residents of the State of Israel and the Golan Heights in particular.” Meanwhile, the fortification of the engineering barrier at the border continues: “New East.”
‘A New East’: Reinforcement of the Engineering Barrier in the Syria-Israel Border Sector | IDF Spokesperson
