- Israeli ground forces have overtly crossed into Syrian territory for the first time since the 1973 October War, passing the demilitarized border zone, two Israeli officials said.
Israeli troops in the buffer zone with Syria, in the Golan Heights on Sunday.
Israeli ground forces advanced beyond the demilitarized zone on the Israel-Syria border over the weekend, marking their first overt entry into Syrian territory since the 1973 October War, according to two Israeli officials speaking anonymously to discuss sensitive developments.
The Israeli deployment came amid a successful push by rebel groups in Syria to drive President Bashar al-Assad out of power and out of the country, prompting neighboring states to brace for more regional instability created by his sudden fall and flight.
Israeli forces took control of the mountain summit of Mount Hermon on the Syrian side of the border, as well as several other locations deemed essential for stabilizing control of the area.
Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the Israeli military chief of staff, appeared to confirm on Saturday night that Israeli forces had gone beyond a demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights, saying Israel had “deployed troops into Syrian territory,” although he did not elaborate further.
Israel has been covertly operating in Syria for many years amid its current conflict with Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group that had fought in Syria in support of Mr. al-Assad’s now-toppled government.
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