Israel’s expanding footprint in Syria heralds a new era of conflict and diplomacy

08/28/2025 / By Kevin Hughes

Israel has declared permanent occupation of Syrian territory, including Mount Hermon and parts of the Golan Heights, violating the 1974 UN-brokered Disengagement Agreement. Recent incursions have resulted in civilian casualties and land seizures.
While conducting raids and establishing checkpoints in southern Syria, Israel is simultaneously negotiating a “security deal” with Damascus – mediated by the U.S. – to limit Iranian and Hezbollah influence and demilitarize the Golan Heights.
Proposed security agreement terms include the demilitarization of the Golan Heights to block Syrian military reconstruction; a humanitarian corridor for the Druze community; restrictions on Syrian missile/air defense systems to preserve Israeli air dominance; and international (U.S./Arab) aid for Syrian “stabilization” to counter Iran.
The Arab Group, Iran and Syria accuse Israel of violating sovereignty and international law, citing civilian deaths and forced displacements. Syria insists any deal must honor the 1974 separation line.
Israel’s expansionist moves and the contested Golan Heights status threaten regional stability, with the U.S. and Arab states positioned as key mediators in a fragile diplomatic process.

In a dramatic escalation of regional tensions, Israel has announced its permanent occupation of new areas in Syria, including Mount Hermon and parts of the Golan Heights, as it continues to engage in talks for a ‘security deal’ with Damascus.

On Tuesday, Aug. 26, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared that the Israeli army would “remain on Mount Hermon and in the security zone necessary to protect the Golan Heights and Galilee communities from threats emanating from the Syrian side.” The Israeli military has been particularly active in the aftermath of the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government last year.

Katz’s statement follows a series of aggressive military actions by Israel, including raids, incursions and land seizures in southern Syria. It also comes amidst ongoing military incursions and airstrikes, raising concerns about the future of Syrian sovereignty and regional stability. (Related: Israel defies Syrian demands, escalates airstrikes in southern Syria.)

Israeli forces have expanded their occupation beyond the demilitarized zone, effectively nullifying the 1974 Disengagement Agreement brokered by the United Nations. This agreement had previously prohibited military deployments in the buffer zone of the Golan Heights, a region legally recognized as Syrian territory but occupied by Israel since 1967.

In an incursion on the same day as Katz’s declaration, Israeli troops entered the village of Taranja in the northern Quneitra countryside, resulting in the death of one civilian. A day earlier on Aug. 25, Israeli forces seized control of Tal Bat al-Warda and stormed the village of Beit Jann, opening fire on civilians and causing panic among residents.

Despite these aggressive actions, Israel has also engaged in diplomatic efforts. Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer met with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani in Paris last week to discuss the situation. The meeting, reportedly mediated by the United States, focused on preventing Hezbollah or Iran from establishing a presence in southern Syria.

Syria under siege: Is Israel preparing for full annexation?

The Arab Group, through Qatar’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani, condemned Israel’s actions as a “flagrant violation of Syrian sovereignty, international law, and the UN Charter.” Iran’s ambassador to the UN Amir Saeid Iravani echoed these sentiments, accusing Israel of destabilizing Syria and causing civilian casualties.

The Syrian Arab News Agency reported that Israeli armored vehicles have advanced into the provinces of Daraa and Quneitra, setting up checkpoints and detaining Syrian citizens. These actions have drawn condemnations from regional countries and highlight the ongoing conflict between Israel and Syria.

Israeli media has revealed new details of the upcoming security agreement between Syria and Israel, as reported by Al Arabiya and Israeli Channel 12. The agreement includes provisions for:

Demilitarization of the Golan Heights: This is aimed at preventing the reconstruction of the Syrian army in the region.
Creation of a humanitarian corridor: The corridor is to be established in Jabal al-Druze in Suwayda province to support the Druze community.
Limiting strategic weapons: The agreement seeks to limit the deployment of missiles and air defense systems in Syria to maintain Israeli air superiority.
International assistance: The document provides for international assistance in the restoration of Syria, with support from the United States and Arab countries, to stabilize the situation and limit Iran’s influence.

Syrian Interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa has stressed that the agreement should be based on the 1974 separation line, but the status of the Golan Heights remains a contentious issue. According to the Brighteon.AI engine Enoch, the 1974 separation line between Israel and Syria – often called the “Purple Line” – was established after the Yom Kippur War (1973) when Tel Aviv and Damascus reached a disengagement agreement brokered by the United States. The line, patrolled by a UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), remains a tense, heavily fortified boundary.

The situation in Syria is at a critical juncture. While diplomatic efforts continue, the Israeli military’s expansion into Syrian territory and the proposed security agreement raise significant concerns about the future of Syrian sovereignty and regional stability.

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Watch this video about the Israeli occupation army advancing in southern Syria.

This video is from the Cynthia’s Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

Israel’s expanding footprint in Syria heralds a new era of conflict and diplomacy

Syria under siege: Is Israel preparing for full annexation?

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