The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are preparing to remain in several areas along the Syrian border, including atop Mount Hermon and in a larger buffer zone between Israel and Syria. This development comes in the wake of the fall of the Bashar al Assad regime in Syria on December 8 and the ceasefire with Lebanon on November 27. The ceasefire is expected to last for 60 days, by which time Israel is supposed to withdraw troops from Lebanon unless fighting with Hezbollah begins again.
On the Syrian front, Israeli troops have taken over the highest part of Mount Hermon, just above 2,800 meters, previously held by Syria. Israel has held part of the mountain since 1967 but not the highest point. Now, Israeli troops are preparing for winter in the summit’s harsh conditions.
Mount Hermon’s uppermost part is barren and experiences biting cold, often accompanied by heavy wind, along with light snow that usually blankets the area for up to two months. The IDF has troops prepared for these conditions, as it has previously maintained several fortified mountain posts. In addition, the IDF established a Mountain Brigade in April 2024 to bolster forces on Hermon and neighboring Mount Dov, a result of operational needs amidst threats from Hezbollah.
On December 17, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz visited Mount Hermon’s peak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Katz called the mountain the “eyes” of Israel because of how much of Syria and Lebanon can be monitored from its heights.
“The IDF is here to protect the communities of the Golan Heights and the citizens of the State of Israel from any threat, from the most important place where it is possible to do so,” he said. IDF Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, the head of Israel’s Northern Command, Major General Ori Gordin, and other key Israeli military and intelligence officials also attended the gathering on the mountain. The event emphasized Israel’s decision to stay in the area for the foreseeable future and increase fortifications along the border.
Other changes are occurring below the mountain. The Israeli military said on December 13 that it deployed engineers, armored units, paratroopers, and the elite Egoz Unit along the Syrian border. The Egoz Unit used to be part of the Golani Brigade but is now a specialized unit that is part of the Commando Brigade.
“The troops have been deployed to strategic positions in the Area of Separation to strengthen defense in the area,” the IDF said. The IDF moved forces into the buffer zone between Israel and Syria as the Assad regime collapsed on December 8. This zone is more than 120 square miles of border along the Golan Heights. It includes two lines for separating Israeli and Syrian forces: Alpha, the Israeli line, and Bravo, the eastern line where Syrian forces were once located.
Among the units now on the border is the 474th Brigade, a territorial brigade tasked with defending the border. It is part of the 210th Division, which protects the entire length of the Golan border. The 474th has been working to strengthen various defenses while other IDF units operate in the buffer zone. “During scans, IDF paratroopers located a variety of weapons, including anti-tank missiles, military vests, ammunition, and additional military equipment,” the IDF said, describing some of the work being done in the buffer zone.
Israeli operations in the buffer zone and several nearby Syrian villages included patrols and IDF troops meeting with locals and collecting weapons left behind by the Syrian regime. For instance, Ynet reported that the 7th Armored Brigade’s 77th Battalion arrived near Umm Batnah and met with a representative of the village. Ynet identified this village as being 8 miles from the border, but it is actually on the Bravo Line, around 2 miles from the Israeli border.
In another report on December 17, Ynet reported that “over the past two days, thousands of residents from seven local villages have effectively come under the protection of IDF troops from the Paratroopers Brigade, the 188th Armored Brigade, the 7th Armored Brigade and the Commando Brigade.” The IDF did not confirm the report about where its troops were present in Syria. However, footage posted online claimed to show an Israeli tank in a Syrian village.
