Israel’s deployment of reinforcements to the Golan Heights is a message to Syrian dictator Bashar Assad as his forces draw closer to the Israeli border, an Israeli analyst said Sunday.
“Now that your army is coming south, don’t send them into the demilitarized zone established in the 1974 [ceasefire] agreement. Israel will see this as a serious violation,” was how Hadashot television news’s defense analyst Roni Daniel couched Israel’s apparent message.
Israel’s army sent tanks and artillery cannons to the Syrian border on Sunday morning amid a renewed offensive by Assad’s forces and the Russian military against the remaining rebel holdouts in Syria’s southwest.
The IDF then announced the move to the media.
“This was a message to Assad,” Daniel said. “When the IDF deploys reinforcements and announces the reinforcement, there’s only one address: Assad.”
Israel beefed up its tank and artillery deployment on the Golan Heights frontier with Syria on Sunday, cautioning Damascus' forces to keep a distance as they sweep rebel-held areas over the border.
Backed by Russia, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad launched an offensive last month to regain the southwestern Deraa region, driving thousands of refugees toward neighboring Jordan and Israel.
Israel's military deployed tank and artillery reinforcements to the Golan on Sunday, a statement said, "in light of developments on the Syrian Golan Heights".
In its statement the military said Israel was holding to its non-intervention policy.
Israel says it is neutral in the seven-year war but has carried out scores of air strikes in Syria on suspected Iranian targets, Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas or in response to what it said were attacks directed against its own forces in the Golan.
Israel seized much of the Golan from Syria in the 1967 war and annexed the strategic plateau, a move not recognized abroad.
Citing the Syrian instability, Israel has sought U.S. endorsement for its claim of sovereignty over the Golan. A senior Netanyahu cabinet minister said in May the Trump administration could soon oblige. Washington has not commented on the matter.
A report in March on UNDOF activities said Syria's armed forces maintained positions in the Golan which violated the accord, as did Israel's deployment to the area of 155 mm artillery, Iron Dome anti-missile systems and related equipment.
The IDF Northern Command Sunday, July 1, upgraded the preparedness of the Golan Bashan Division with tanks, artillery and rocket units after evaluating the level of fighting on the Syria side of the border. This was announced by the military spokesman. His announcement went on to stress “the high importance the IDF attaches to maintaining the disengagement of forces agreement on the Golan concluded in 1974 by Israel and Syria.” He added: “Israel abides by a policy of non-involvement in Syrian affairs, along with a firm response to violations of its sovereignty and possible harm to its citizens.”
DEBKAfile adds: This statement provides advance notice that Israel will not tolerate the entry of Hizballah and pro-Iranian Shiite forces to the Quneitra region opposite IDF Golan lines, and further emphasizes non-acceptance of their entry into the historic disengagement zone between Quneitra and the Israeli border.
DEBKAfile adds: This statement provides advance notice that Israel will not tolerate the entry of Hizballah and pro-Iranian Shiite forces to the Quneitra region opposite IDF Golan lines, and further emphasizes non-acceptance of their entry into the historic disengagement zone between Quneitra and the Israeli border.
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