zion*st occupation is rapidly expanding its military footprint in southern Syria, using the so-called “buffer zone” along the Golan Heights to impose new realities on the ground. zion*st Foreign Minister Gideon Saar recently made this policy shift explicit, tying any future agreement with Syria to the ongoing occupation of zionist forces not only within the buffer zone but also across the strategic Mount Hermon heights.

In recent months, the zionist military accelerated construction of new bases and seized former Syrian army facilities in the area. The latest development involves building a new base at Eastern al-Ahmar hill, near Kudna in Quneitra province, next to another base established at Western al-Ahmar hill in December 2024.

Tribal sources speaking to Al-Akhbar reported that Israeli occupation forces raised their flag over the new base last week and are “rapidly working to turn it into a key operational hub, adding that this escalation “alarmed local communities, who fear a repeat of recent destruction in al-Hamidiyah, Quneitra, where Israeli troops stormed into the area on the 17th of June and demolished 16 homes, citing their closeness to the base.” The sources further explained that “UN Disengagement Observer Forces (UNDOF), visited the site 10 days after demolition but only to assess the damage.”

Fear is spreading to nearby villages, including Maariya in rural Daraa, where Israeli forces occupy an outpost known as al-Jazira, which was subjected to repeated gunfire from unidentified attackers. Residents are specifically worried about “further demolitions and a displacement wave similar to the mass exodus that emptied much of the Golan Heights during the 1967 war.”

Moreover, Israeli forces started setting up a new military post near the village of Beer Ajam in Quneitra province. A resident told Al-Akhbar that “heavily armed soldiers, supported by armored vehicles and engineering equipment, positioned themselves near a watchtower in the area, fueling concerns that tighter movement restrictions for civilians are imminent.”

Elsewhere, in the majority Druze town of Hader, residents report a “surge in Israeli activity in northern Qurs al-Nafl area, where a second military base is reportedly under construction.” Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation completed the construction of a facility on Mount Barbar near Qalaat Jandal in rural Damascus, overlooking a strategic road leading to Mount Hermon’s peak. This site once served as a critical Syrian army route to key positions, including an observatory and the headquarters of the 24th Division.

In addition, Israeli occupation forces destroyed roads connecting several villages within Quneitra’s section of the buffer zone, prompting fear that the Israeli entity is “preparing to impose clearly defined borders, effectively isolating the area from the rest of Syria. Locals now face a stark choice: flee to nearby villages or live under Israeli occupation.”

Israeli military patrols have become a common sight inside southern Syrian villages, accompanied by repeated attempts to win over residents through the distribution of food and medical supplies, efforts largely rejected by locals. The latest occurred last Friday, when an Israeli patrol entered Abu Madrah farm near Saida al-Golan in rural Daraa.

These developments come after last week’s visit to Damascus by UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, who met with Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra to discuss coordination with UNDOF. While describing the force’s role as “vital,” Abu Qasra condemned the Israeli military presence in the buffer zone as a “violation” of the “disengagement agreement,” which limits the area to UN peacekeepers. He also reaffirmed Syria’s support for UNDOF and expressed the country’s readiness to assume full security responsibility nationwide, including in UN-monitored areas, under international law.

Despite this, observers say UNDOF’s role has become largely symbolic. Since December 2024, the force has taken no concrete action against Israeli incursions or base construction and failed to protect residents from ongoing violations.

Tensions also mounted over the fate of 22 Syrians reportedly detained by Israeli forces in recent months. UNDOF declined local calls to pressure the Israeli entity for information. According to a resident of al-Hamidiyah, the village Mukhtar, who recently accompanied a UN patrol, was told by an officer that the “fate of the captives depends on broader peace negotiations, with the Syrian government, which needs to file a formal request for their release,” adding “The UN’s role would be limited to coordinating any transfer if Israel agrees to free them.”

Al Akhbar report

The UN has a well-known reputation for inaction in the face of zion*st infringements and crimes.

In 1978, the UNIFIL forces watched casually the zionist tanks invading Lebanon.