The IDF has begun a significant operation in Quneitra city, with Syrian sources confirming Israeli tanks have encircled government buildings while issuing evacuation orders, Sky News Arabia reported on Monday.
Social media platforms have circulated footage documenting the military presence.
Concurrent reports from Arab media outlets detailed Israeli forces entering Al-Baath city, commonly referred to as “New Quneitra,” situated 1.9 miles from the Israeli border. Israeli forces approached government buildings and institutions, instructing officials to evacuate the premises.
The pro-Iranian Al Mayadeen news outlet confirmed that IDF tanks and other armored vehicles had moved into Al-Baath with the objective of accessing government offices for inspection purposes.
The Israeli military presence in southern Syria has triggered widespread protests among local residents, with several demonstrators sustaining injuries after approaching the deployed forces.
In a related development, Arab media reported Sunday on an attack targeting weapons storage facilities near Damascus. Foreign sources indicated that approximately 20 casualties resulted from the drone strike, which has been attributed to Israel.
The IDF is preparing for a prolonged stay on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights, at least until the end of winter.
Since the fall of the Assad regime on Dec. 8, Israeli troops have taken up positions inside and beyond the Golan buffer zone, including on the strategic Syrian side of Mount Hermon. The Israeli Air Force has conducted hundreds of strikes on Assad military assets.
Jerusalem has warned Syria’s de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa (aka Abu Mohammad al-Julani) that it will not tolerate jihadist groups establishing a foothold in southern Syria.
In the message, Israel stressed that it is prepared to keep troops positioned in the demilitarized Golan Heights buffer zone as long as is necessary to maintain border security, Ynet reported.
However, Jerusalem indicated that it might consider transferring control of the buffer zone to a stable and accountable Syrian government, should one emerge.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz and other senior security officials reviewed Israeli troop deployments on the Syrian border on Dec. 17.
“We are holding this assessment in order to decide on the deployment of the IDF in this important place until another arrangement is found that ensures Israel’s security,” the prime minister said.
“We are not intervening in what is happening in Syria. We are here to stop terrorist elements from establishing themselves,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said during a situational assessment held in the Golan Heights on Dec. 13.
Originally published by Israel Hayom
