Israeli Airstrike Targets Military Positions in Southern Syria Amid Rising Tensions in the Golan
The Israeli military reiterated its stance on Tuesday, stating that they will not allow a military threat to emerge in southern Syria and will act against it.
Erbil (Kurdistan 24) – The Israeli military announced on Tuesday afternoon that it had carried out an airstrike targeting artillery positions in the Khan Arnabeh area of southern Syria, near the disengagement line in Golan Heights.
In a statement, the Israeli army said, "A short while ago, Air Force fighter jets attacked artillery positions in the Khan Arnabeh area of southern Syria that posed a threat to the State of Israel."
Khan Arnabeh is adjacent to the demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights, which Israeli forces advanced into following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December.
The Israeli military reiterated its stance on Tuesday, stating that the presence of "combat equipment in southern Syria poses a threat to the State of Israel" and that it "will not allow a military threat to emerge in southern Syria and will act against it."
Israel’s Expanding Military Operations in Syria
Since the removal of Assad from power, Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes on military installations, naval and air bases across Syria, stating that its operations are aimed at preventing the new Syrian administration from acquiring the former regime’s military arsenal.
In February, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for southern Syria to be completely demilitarized, warning that his government would not tolerate the presence of security forces affiliated with the new Syrian authorities near its borders.
Even before Assad’s fall, Israel had launched numerous airstrikes on Syria, targeting military positions linked to Iran and Hezbollah, which had provided support to Damascus during the conflict that erupted in 2011.
On March 13, the Israeli military also confirmed that its air force had conducted an airstrike on Damascus, specifically targeting a facility associated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement.
According to The New York Times, in late December, Israeli tanks and bulldozers entered the small farming village of Suwaisah in southwestern Syria. On Dec. 25, 2024, Israeli soldiers demolished an abandoned Syrian military outpost and demanded that local residents surrender any weapons they possessed. Similar raids took place in neighboring villages.
Israel’s Military operations, which began following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in early December, have sparked fears of a prolonged Israeli military presence in the region. Throughout January and February, Israel expanded its operations, seizing a demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights and other territories in southwestern Syria, citing security concerns.
The Israeli military claims its operations target military infrastructure and denies targeting civilians. However, the international community, including the United Nations, has condemned Israel’s actions, calling for the restoration of Syria’s sovereignty.