Latest news with #MountHermon
Al Mayadeen
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Mayadeen
'Israel' establishes 10th military outpost in Syria
"Israel's" occupation forces have constructed a new forward military outpost within Syrian territory, marking the tenth such site since the fall of then-President Bashar al-Assad's control, according to Israeli media outlet i24. The i24 report states that these outposts are distributed between two positions on Mount Hermon and eight across the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. The latest position was reportedly completed on Tuesday. The 7006th Battalion of the Israeli military is responsible for building and maintaining this latest outpost, as part of broader efforts to entrench "Israel's" military presence in the occupied territories. According to a report by Axios, "Israel" is engaging with Syria through at least four communication channels. These include Tzachi Hanegbi, the national security advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; David Barnea, director of the Mossad; Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar; and ongoing military coordination through the Israeli army. Al-Sharaa reportedly held a covert meeting with senior Israeli intelligence officials in the United Arab Emirates earlier this year, marking a dramatic departure from Syria's historic rejection and refusal to submit to "Israel".Moreover, a source cited by i24NEWS reported that the April 13 meeting in Abu Dhabi was mediated by the UAE and attended by top Israeli representatives from the Mossad, National Security Council, and IOF intelligence. Additionally, previous reports have indicated that Netanyahu is interested in initiating negotiations for a broader security agreement with Syria, which could serve as a preliminary step toward a comprehensive "peace" accord. On a related note, earlier in March this year, The New York Times reported that the Zionist regime is entrenching its military presence in Syria and Lebanon by building a network of outposts and infrastructure that signaled a potential long-term occupation of neighboring lands. Satellite imagery, eyewitness accounts, and UN sources confirm the establishment of fortified positions, roads, surveillance towers, and military housing in illegally occupied lands. In the Syrian town of Jubata al-Khashab, heavy machinery has been spotted alongside new barriers and defensive walls, underscoring the scale of the ongoing land grab. The Israelis moved aggressively to fortify their hold in Syria, establishing at least nine outposts across the south. Citing distrust in Syria's newly formed government, Tel Aviv expanded its reach into formerly demilitarized zones, backed by continued airstrikes. Even though Al-Sharaa reaffirmed Damascus' commitment to the 1974 cease-fire, Netanyahu dismissed the agreement, declaring it void and calling for the "complete demilitarization" of southern Syria.
LBCI
10-07-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
As Israel and Syria talk peace, Mount Hermon becomes a line in the sand—the details
Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Mariella Succar While Israel's National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi was discussing the Syrian file with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa in the United Arab Emirates, parallel negotiations were intensifying in Washington toward a security agreement that could serve as a preliminary step to a broader peace deal between the two countries. Meanwhile, the Israeli army has established control over new positions atop Mount Hermon, using the strategic location to shape its future plans and impose new facts on the ground. In addition to carving out a road for military activity in the area, the army revealed it has been conducting operations over the past eight months aimed at solidifying Israel's hold on the mountain—operations that, according to Israeli sources, reinforce the country's unwillingness to relinquish the territory in any future peace agreement. A commander from Israel's Alpine Unit 711 confirmed that these activities go beyond fortification. The military has conducted exercises simulating the infiltration of 3,000 fighters from Syria and Lebanon through Mount Hermon to carry out attacks on Israeli territory. The inclusion of Lebanon in this scenario is not coincidental. Israeli officials continue to cite what they call 'the growing security threat' from the north, using it as leverage in ongoing negotiations. Mount Hermon, known as Jabal al-Sheikh, remains one of the most strategically sensitive areas of the Golan Heights, lying at the intersection of the Israeli-Syrian-Lebanese borders. It has emerged as a major sticking point in negotiations between Damascus and Tel Aviv. Israel seeks to retain the mountaintop as a strategic asset, while Syria refuses to concede it under any future security arrangement. Negotiators from both countries are reportedly working on a deal that could involve a partial Israeli withdrawal from certain towns in southern Syria. However, multiple Israeli security officials have confirmed that the Golan Heights—and specifically Mount Hermon—will not be part of the agreement, despite suggestions that progress on a limited deal may be imminent.
National Post
05-07-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Syria says willing to return to 1974 border deal with Israel
Article content The next day, the IDF announced that troops had apprehended members of an Iranian-backed terrorist cell during an overnight operation in southern Syria. On Sunday, the military said that soldiers operating in the same region had arrested several suspected terrorists during raids on weapons caches. Article content According to the IDF, soldiers from the 210th 'Bashan' Division are actively deployed in southern Syria, with the mission of neutralizing any threat to Israeli citizens. The division's area of operations extends from the summit of Mount Hermon—referred to as its 'crown'—down to the tripoint border where Syria, Jordan and Israel meet. Article content During a visit to the Syrian Hermon in January, Defense Minister Israel Katz declared: 'The IDF will remain at the summit of the Hermon and the security zone indefinitely to ensure the security of the communities of the Golan Heights and the north, as well as all the residents of Israel.' Article content Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that he will not permit forces loyal to Syrian leader al-Sharaa to deploy in the area south of Damascus. Article content On June 3, Syrian terrorists fired two rockets at the Israeli side of the Golan Heights. Both projectiles hit open areas, causing no injuries or damage. Article content In response, Katz stated that Jerusalem views al-Sharaa as 'directly responsible for any threat and firing toward the State of Israel,' and warned that a 'full response will come soon.' Article content However, Barrack cautioned that this could take time because new Syrian leader Ahmed al-Shara, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani—a former Al-Qaeda terrorist—could face resistance at home. Article content 'He cannot be seen by his own people as being forced or coerced into the Abraham Accords,' said Barrack, referring to the agreements that normalized Israel's relations with four Arab countries: the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco. Article content 'So, he has to work slowly,' Barrack said of al-Sharaa. Article content During a visit to the Syrian Hermon in January, Defense Minister Israel Katz declared: 'The IDF will remain at the summit of the Hermon and the security zone indefinitely to ensure the security of the communities of the Golan Heights and the north, as well as all the residents of Israel.' Article content Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that he will not permit forces loyal to Syrian leader al-Sharaa to deploy in the area south of Damascus. Article content On June 3, Syrian terrorists fired two rockets at the Israeli side of the Golan Heights. Both projectiles hit open areas, causing no injuries or damage. Article content In response, Katz stated that Jerusalem views al-Sharaa as 'directly responsible for any threat and firing toward the State of Israel,' and warned that a 'full response will come soon.' Article content
Asharq Al-Awsat
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Jumblatt Hands Over Progressive Socialist Party Arms to Lebanese Army
Lebanon's veteran Druze leader Walid Jumblatt on Thursday called on the Iran-backed Hezbollah group to hand its weapons over to the state, saying arms must be exclusively under government control. Speaking at a news conference in Beirut, the former head of the Progressive Socialist Party said, 'Weapons should only be in the hands of the Lebanese state,' adding that the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms, a long-disputed area on the western slopes of Mount Hermon, are Syrian territory. Jumblatt's appeal comes amid growing international calls for Hezbollah to disarm and for the Lebanese government to implement its longstanding pledge—reiterated in its ministerial statement and by President Joseph Aoun during his swearing-in—to ensure that only state institutions bear arms. His remarks also come as Washington renews its push to resolve files with Syria, including border demarcation, as part of wider regional realignments. 'There's a new chapter unfolding in the Middle East,' Jumblatt said. 'If any Lebanese or non-Lebanese party possesses weapons, I hope they will hand them over to the state in a proper manner.' He described 'the most valuable weapon for future generations' as being one of 'memory'—urging the country to pass down stories of resistance against Israel and its collaborators rather than stockpiles of arms. Jumblatt said he had recently informed the president of the presence of weapons in his hometown of Mukhtara and asked the relevant security agencies to take over the matter. The arms, collected gradually since the May 2008 clashes between Hezbollah and his party, were fully handed over more than three weeks ago. The arsenal, he said, consisted of light and medium-grade weapons that had been centrally gathered over the years. He noted that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri—himself a close ally of Hezbollah—remained a 'friend and ally,' but added: 'The issue of weapons has no bearing on Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon.' Hezbollah has long justified its arsenal as essential to liberating the Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shouba Hills, areas Israel did not vacate during its 2000 withdrawal from south Lebanon. In recent years, the dispute has expanded to include 13 border points and the northern section of the village of Ghajar, which Israel annexed in 2022. 'Shebaa Farms are covered under UN Resolution 242. It is Syrian land occupied by Israel,' Jumblatt said. He urged support for the Lebanese army and internal security forces, stressing that Israel still occupies territory and that several Lebanese villages remain destroyed. He also called for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. 'In this round, Israel and the West have won with US backing,' he said. 'But nothing lasts forever.'
LBCI
28-05-2025
- General
- LBCI
Alleged talks with Syria, warnings on Lebanon: Israel walks a strategic 'tightrope'
Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian Between near-daily bombings and incursions, the Israeli army's threats to expand its presence deeper into Lebanon, and the relative calm in Syria's interior, it appears Israel, through its security agencies and political consultations, is trying to ensure calm on the Syrian front. Israel considers itself closer to peace with Syria, despite some officials' concerns that certain steps could jeopardize the army's achievements and freedom of operation there. This warning came after the disclosure of direct talks between Syrian and Israeli security and military officials. Some say the talks took place at the border, while others claim they occurred inside Israel. A report further revealed that efforts are focused on accelerating an understanding between the two sides. At the same time the talks were revealed, a military report discussed the Israeli army's deployment in Syria, noting it controls nine military sites from the summit of Mount Hermon through the Hama region to the border triangle with Jordan. However, the report also pointed to the continued presence of weapons caches, specifically in villages known to be affiliated with ISIS. This issue was discussed by Israelis with Syrian figures due to concerns about the impact on the army's safety and border security. The report also warned about the situation regarding Lebanon, particularly Hezbollah's "calm state," noting that if the group decides to retaliate against Tel Aviv, it will not be limited to the five hills it occupies inside Lebanon but will extend into Israel proper. The report said this requires decisive action on this front as well.
