Israel is accused of violating the ceasefire and conducts raids in Syria

Israel’s military said on Sunday it had carried out “operational raids” on Syria’s Mount Hermon in recent weeks, continuing a military campaign on Syrian soil that has drawn growing international condemnation.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the Syrian war, said on Sunday that it had conducted airstrikes around Damascus, the capital of Syria. attributes them to the Israeli army. According to the observatory, the strikes targeted an ammunition depot used by President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, which was ousted by rebels last month. The Israeli army did not immediately comment on the airstrikes.

Israel’s continued military operations in Syria on Sunday are aimed at “strengthening the protection of Israeli citizens,” prompting the United Nations and some member states to accuse Israel of violating a decades-old ceasefire by sending troops. within and beyond the buffer zone between countries.

The raids come days after Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar. he said he met With members of the UN peacekeeping mission on the Syrian-Israeli border. It is known as the UN Observer Force UNDOFIt was established by the Security Council in 1974 to maintain a ceasefire between Israeli and Syrian forces after the 1973 war and to monitor the buffer zone created by the agreement.

Israeli ground forces have been in and out of the demilitarized zone since rebel forces suddenly toppled the Assad regime in Syria last month. marking their first public entry entered the country in half a century, prompting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to criticize Israel. Violation of the 1974 treaty.

Mr. Sa’ar said in his statement that “extremist armed groups” violated the ceasefire and attacked the peacekeepers in the buffer zone. UNDOF did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the allegations.

Israel’s attacks on Syria complicate an already complicated situation there, as Syria’s new leadership seeks to rebuild a nation devastated by more than a decade of civil war and gain international recognition.

Ahmed al-Shara, the rebel commander who led the coalition that ousted Mr. Assad and is the country’s interim leader, criticized the Israeli military’s actions in Syria in an interview with The New York Times and other news outlets in December. shortly after taking power. He said Syria would continue to abide by the 1974 ceasefire agreement and called on the international community to make sure Israel did as well.

However, Israel has repeatedly indicated that it plans to stay in Syria as long as it deems necessary. When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did it December trip As he traveled to Mount Hermon, which Israeli soldiers captured last month, he said they would remain in the country “until another agreement is found that guarantees Israel’s security.”

Defense Minister Israel Katz accompanied the Prime Minister on the visit. he said Israel’s military presence there serves as a “deterrent against the rebels in Damascus, who claim to present a moderate image but are one of the most extreme Islamist movements.”

Mr. al-Shara’s rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham was once linked to al-Qaeda but split from the group in 2017. It has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, the United Nations and others, but some countries say they may consider revoking the designation. According to them, the decision will depend on whether there is a democratic transition in Syria and whether rebel leaders show respect for minority groups.

In recent weeks, Mr. al-Shara has sought to portray himself as a diplomat focused on rebuilding his country, meeting with US officials as well as officials from Europe and the Middle East.

There are some signs that Syria’s new government will also welcome relations with Israel. Maher Marwan, the newly appointed governor of Damascus NPR interview in late December called on the US to use its influence over Israel to encourage the establishment of diplomatic relations.

For now, Israel is paying more attention to military operations.

Observers of the war say that in addition to the intervention of Israeli ground forces in Syria, the Israeli army has also carried out intensive airstrikes there. In a report Thursday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it had documented more 370 Israeli attacks on Syria last year, most came in the final weeks.