22 April 2025
Israel advanced into two villages in the countryside of Quneitra before withdrawing shortly afterward on Monday, less than a day after a visit by Israeli army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to illegally occupied Syrian territory.
Activist Mohammed Abu Hashish told The New Arab’s Arabic language sister outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that Israeli forces withdrew this afternoon from the villages of Al-Asha and Al-Asbah in the Quneitra countryside to their position at the recently occupied Tel Ahmar al-Gharbi (Western Red Hill) site.
He explained that Israeli forces used loudspeakers to instruct residents of the two villages not to leave their homes, while they carried out a search operation in one of the houses in the village of Al-Asha.
This comes after an Israeli army statement confirmed that Zamir had conducted a field tour and situation assessment in Syria on Sunday, accompanied by Northern Command chief Ori Gordin, 210th Division commander Yair Balai, and other senior officers.
The statement added that Zamir “spoke with commanders and soldiers operating in the field and approved plans to continue defense and offensive operations”. It also quoted Zamir claiming that the demilitarised zone occupied by Israeli forces inside Syrian territory is “vital” for Israel. He asserted that the Israeli army had seized these areas and taken control of key points with the aim of “defending ourselves in the best possible way,” according to his claim.
“From this position, we can see everyone present along this mountain range… It is a strategic point. We do not know how things will develop here, but our presence is of utmost security importance,” he added.
Tensions between Israel and Syria have ratcheted up since Syrian rebels overthrew the regime of Bashar al-Assad in December last year.
This prompted Israel to opportunistically expand its illegal occupation into the Golan Heights buffer zone in southern Syria, where it has repeatedly carried out low-scale invasions deeper into the country and carried out unprecedentedly destructive airstrikes.
On Wednesday, Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz said that troops will remain in so-called security zones in Syria indefinitely.
Source: TheNewArab
