The New York Times reports:

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.

More recently, the Israeli military has been more explicit about striking sites and people there, saying it was targeting Hezbollah’s supply lines. But the deployment of ground troops beyond the demilitarized zone in Syria marks a significant shift in policy as the first overt entry of Israeli military forces into Syrian territory since the 1974 cease-fire agreement that officially ended the last war between Israel and Syria. [Continue reading…]

The Israeli occupation and expansion in southern Syria is an important crime to end. We celebrate the fall of Assad and we don’t forget that he’s not the only oppressor.

— Omar Alshogre | عمر الشغري (@omarAlshogre) December 8, 2024