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On May 11, an unprecedented Israeli attack targeted a network of observation posts and positions of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the southern Syrian governorate of al-Quneitra.
In the early hours of the day, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) struck an SAA observation post in the outskirts of the town of Hader. The observation post, which is located near the separation line with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, was reported targeted with a number of ground-launched precision-guided missiles.
Less than twelve hours after the missile strike, the IDF artillery fired more than 15 rounds at observation posts and positions of the SAA near the town of Jubata Al Khashab.
The targeted positions were all located within or along the Golan Heights’ 235 square kilometer buffer zone, which was established under the 1974 separation of forces agreement. The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force is present in the zone.
Exactly a week earlier, the IDF threatened the SAA over alleged deployment of forces within the Golan Heights’ buffer zone. The IDF’s 210th “Bashan” Division dropped leaflets from drones over the buffer zone, promising to response with an “iron fest” to any violation of the 1974 agreement.
Israel struck several observation posts and positions of the SAA in al-Quneitra in the past few years. However, previous attacks were carried out under the claim of preventing Lebanese Hezbollah from operating in the region.
Israel’s use of the 1974 agreement to justify an attack on Syria is likely a part of a new strategy. Tel Aviv may be preparing to use the alleged violations of the agreement as a casus belli to launch a limited ground operation in the buffer zone.
It’s worth noting that the IDF is currently counducting its largest military exercise in decades. Thousands of troops from all IDF units are taking part in the exercise, codenamed “chariots of fire,” which simulates a multifront and multidimensional war against Israel’s enemies in the air, at sea, on land and on the cyber front
