Israeli Forces Move Into Demilitarized Zone to Deter Syrian Rebels – JP
Israel has taken decisive measures to secure its borders amid the reported collapse of the Assad regime in Syria. According to Israel’s Army Radio, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have moved tanks into the demilitarized zone between Israel and Syria, an area meant to remain free of military presence under the disengagement agreement that ended the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
The move is aimed at deterring Syrian rebels, who now control the Quneitra province bordering Israel.
On Friday, the IDF bolstered its positions on the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau seized from Syria during the Six-Day War in 1967, after Syrian forces had used the area to shell Israeli villages for years.
The reported fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime has heightened security concerns. Syrian dictator Assad was reportedly seen fleeing Damascus, with unconfirmed reports suggesting he may have been aboard a plane that crashed.
In response, Israel has not only reinforced its positions but also established checkpoints across the Golan Heights “to prevent infiltrations by Syrian rebels.”
The IDF’s proactive steps reflect lessons from the past, including precautions taken years ago during the rise of ISIS in the same region. However, the current actions indicate a more robust response, emphasizing the strategic importance of the Golan Heights in maintaining Israel’s security.
Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, notorious for his use of chemical weapons against his own population, fled the country this weekend as rebel forces stormed the capital city of Damascus, according to JP.
Assad, who trained as an eye doctor in the United Kingdom before inheriting power from his father, Hafez al-Assad, escaped alongside his British-born wife, Asma, and their three children. Their destination remains unknown, as Syrian state television confirmed their departure but offered no further details.
The apparent overthrow marks the end of more than 50 years of Assad family rule, signaling a seismic shift in Middle Eastern power dynamics.