Despite agreement between Druze and new Syrian regime, Israel maintains presence on Syrian peak of Mount Hermon

Israeli forces have been holding territory on Mount Hermon, in Syrian territory, since last December as a buffer against future aggression from the new Syrian regime, or from other armed militias in the country. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to seize the highest peak of Mount Hermon following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

The strategic position provides oversight of Syria, Lebanon, and parts of Jordan, enabling Israel to monitor any attempts to move forces into the border area or conduct smuggling operations through the rugged terrain.

Since then, the IDF has established posts on the Syrian side of Hermon to monitor the situation in southern Syria and southern Lebanon. 

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz recently told the Jerusalem Post that an IDF presence protects Israel from Syrian, Hamas and Iranian threats. 

“There are a series of threats,” Katz said. “This regime is a jihadist regime. It put on a mask, but then it removed its mask.” 

Katz emphasized that, although Israel has no territorial claims to the area, it seized the territory as a buffer zone out of concern that Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) might act on its previous threats to attack Israel. 

The defense minister also noted attempts by Iran and Hezbollah to smuggle weapons to Hezbollah units via the southern border area, where the new regime does not have much of a presence. 

In addition to the threats posed by Hezbollah and HTS, Israel is also concerned about the Palestinian threat, Katz told JPost.

There are approximately 450,000 Palestinians in Syria, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), with many located in southern Syria. While most Palestinians in Syria have little interest in Israel, the defense minister warned that Hamas or other terrorist groups could attempt to recruit fighters from within the refugee community there.

Israel is also using its position on Mount Hermon to protect Druze communities near the border. 

Despite the recently signed agreement between the Druze and the new government, Israel remains concerned that massacres could still be carried out against Druze communities, similar to the recent attacks on Alawites in western Syria.

The Druze community agreed to the deal following a separate agreement between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the northeast.

Given the radical jihadist background of much of the new government and its history of massacres against non-Sunni Muslims and other minorities, including Christians, Israel has stated it will keep a watchful eye over the Druze. 

In addition, Israel has pledged to provide jobs to members of the Syrian Druze community through a pilot program designed to provide economic support and strengthen ties between the Druze and the Israeli government.

On Monday night, Israel Air Force fighter jets attacked military sites in southern Syria, the IDF reported on Tuesday.

The military stated that the operation targeted radars and detection systems used for aerial intelligence gathering in southern Syria. Additionally, command centers and military sites housing weapons and equipment belonging to the Syrian regime in the region were also struck.

According to Syrian reports, these were military targets of the former (Assad) regime in the villages of Jabab and Izra, located in the Dara’a province in southern Syria. Israel viewed the targets as a direct threat to both its security and the Druze communities it has pledged to protect.

“The presence of these assets in southern Syria posed a threat to the State of Israel and IDF activities. These targets were struck in order to eliminate future threats,” the IDF spokesman said.