Israeli army, border police thwart multiple crossings from Syria

The Israeli army and border police are preventing attempts by dozens of people to cross from Syria into Israel, the IDF spokesperson’s office stated, as reported by Caliber.Az.

At the same time, efforts are underway to safely return several Israelis who crossed into Syrian territory through the border barrier.

“This is a serious incident, constituting a criminal offence and posing a danger to the public and Israeli military forces,” the statement said.

The developments come amid heated sectarian violence in southern Syria’s As-Suwayda province, where clashes between Druze militias, Bedouin tribes, and Syrian government forces erupted on July 13, resulting in at least 99 deaths, including 60 Druze, 18 Bedouin, and 14 Syrian security personnel.

The sectarian violence in As-Suwayda heightened Israel’s concerns, particularly due to its historical and communal ties with the Druze community, which numbers approximately 150,000 in Israel.

On July 15, the IDF struck Syrian regime military vehicles, including tanks and rocket launchers, moving toward As-Suwayda, citing violations of the demilitarisation policy in southern Syria. This was followed by a targeted strike on July 16 on the Syrian General Staff complex in Damascus, intended as a warning to the new Syrian leadership under Sharaa to refrain from actions threatening Israel or the Druze. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasised Israel’s commitment to preventing harm to the Druze.

By Khagan Isayev