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IDF raids weapons trafficking sites in Syria

IDF soldiers remain deployed in the area to prevent the entrenchment of terrorist elements in Syria.

IDF Syria
Israeli troops complete a mission targeting weapons trafficking networks in the Hader area of southern Syria, Aug. 2, 2025. Credit: Israel Defense Forces.

Israeli troops overnight Saturday completed an operation targeting weapons trafficking networks in the Hader area of southern Syria, questioning several suspects on site.

Acting on prior intelligence and an in-depth field investigation, Israel Defense Forces soldiers simultaneously raided four locations, uncovering a cache of weapons.

Troops from the IDF’s 210th Division remain deployed in the area to prevent the entrenchment of terrorist elements in Syria, with the stated goal of protecting Israeli civilians—particularly residents of the Golan Heights.

On July 22, IDF troops apprehended several weapons dealers during an overnight operation in southern Syria.

“The IDF is operating in the area of separation and in key positions in Syria, in order to ensure the security of the State of Israel and its citizens while adhering to international law,” the military told JNS.

Israeli officials have repeatedly expressed concern about weapons smuggling in the border region, citing the security threats posed by illicit arms transfers to hostile groups.

Last month, United States Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack confirmed his participation in a landmark meeting between Israeli and Syrian officials in Paris.

The talks came less than a week after Barrack announced that Jerusalem and Damascus had agreed to a ceasefire following several days of massacres carried out by Sunni jihadists loyal to the Syrian government against the Druze minority in Sweida Province.

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