Israeli army prepares response plan for threats arising from events in Syria
The Israeli army prepares to counter threats arising from events in Syria (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
Israeli military prepares to respond to potential threats from Syrian rebels. The military is developing response options for events that could undermine Israel's sovereignty, reports the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
On Saturday, December 7, Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Herzl Halevi, together with members of the General Staff Forum and the commander of the 210th Division, conducted an assessment of the situation and approved the defense and offensive plans for the division.
Halevi emphasized the high level of offensive and defensive readiness, the reinforcement of troops along the border, and the continuous monitoring of developments.
"We are monitoring to ensure that local factions do not direct actions towards us - we have very strong offensive and defensive responses. We do not interfere in events in Syria; we work to thwart and prevent threats in the region, and prepare plans for the various possibilities," said the lieutenant general.
According to him, due to the events in Syria, the IDF has reinforced its deployment along the border, particularly with reconnaissance units. Ground and air forces have been strengthened along the border, and the sector's readiness has been increased.
He added that, to understand the situation's development, the Israeli military closely monitors the situation, using all available intelligence-gathering capabilities.
"The primary focus is on observing Iran's movements and interests, which is our top priority. The secondary focus is on local factions who are taking control of the area, assessing their actions, behavior, and deterrence levels, and ensuring they do not mistakenly direct their actions toward us. If such confusion does arise, there is an offensive response, backed by very strong defensive responses. We must be prepared both offensively and defensively," Halevi said.
Escalation of the civil war in Syria
Over the past week, fighting has intensified in Syria between the Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and the forces of dictator Bashar al-Assad, who maintained his grip on power with military support from Russia and Iran.
The rebels are rapidly advancing toward the Syrian capital, Damascus, and taking control of the country's major cities.
On December 1, after several fierce battles with Assad's army, the rebels took control of the Syrian city of Aleppo.
Following this, Ukrainian intelligence reported that Russian troops had already left the city of Hama and were fleeing from Damascus.
On December 6, the rebels captured the city of Deir ez-Zor. The fighters also advanced toward the city of Homs, which opened the way to the Syrian capital.
According to media reports, Assad has already fled Syria. The US is convinced that his regime has only a few days left to survive.
For more details on the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, read the article by RBC-Ukraine.
