Where’s the peace now? Golan Heights UN Peacekeepers. Illustrative. Photo Courtesy of UN Photo/Wolfgang Grebien.
An offensive underway in southern Syria by the regime and Hezbollah forces aims to retake the Golan Heights border region with Israel from rebel fighters, and the region may also turn into a new front against Israel. The Haaretz newspaper reported that Iran, which has advisors helping the Syrian regime, and Hezbollah wish to bring “resistance”—a term used by Hezbollah for terror attacks—against Israel to the Golan region.
Haaretz noted that Iranian advisors and Hezbollah are part of the latest Syrian offensive in the south. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted on Thursday in comments released by his office that one of the challenges facing Israel is that “thousands of Hezbollah fighters are present in Syria, including southern Syria, opposite our border, directed by Iran. We are aware of these challenges and the army… is equal to them.”
The Golan Heights is a mountainous region separating Israel’s north and Syria’s south. Rebel fighters and terrorist groups battling the regime have made major gains in the south of Syria, hence the regime offensive aims to reclaim the territory.
Hezbollah’s al-Manar news, citing a report from al-Mayadeen TV, also said that resistance against Israel was an option once the Syrian side of the Golan is retaken from rebels.
Al-Manar termed the assault a “pre-emptive strike” aimed at preventing new terrorist plans in Syria. As part of the battle, the regime is also engaging rebels in the region south of the capital of Damascus. Iran’s PressTV reported that Syrian forces captured a town 39 miles south of Damascus.
(By Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, February 12, 2015)