Israel's fourth front in war: Syria becomes new battlefield with Golan Heights under threat

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi 

Israel has officially green-lit a new military strategy to seize significant areas of the Syrian Golan Heights, marking the opening of a fourth front in its ongoing war. 

The new focus is on Syria, where Israel is intensifying its operations to gain control of large areas in the Golan Heights and destroy chemical and other dangerous weapons in Syrian territory. 

Following its military engagements in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon, the new Syrian campaign is expected to be the most challenging for Israel, given its lack of preparation.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz approved the plan after a security consultation on Tuesday, which outlines the occupation of expansive territories in Syria. The primary goal of this operation is to strengthen and secure the Golan Heights, which Israel has occupied since 1967, and to ensure its defense. 

The plan includes reinforcing the military presence on Mount Hermon, advancing several kilometers into Syrian territory, and establishing a buffer zone by crossing the demilitarized area. The operation aims to secure strategic points while maintaining contact with Syrian civilians in the region.

However, the Israeli army faces significant obstacles in carrying out this operation. It has been revealed that the paratrooper brigade stationed on Mount Hermon is not trained for operations in this specific area, and the army is ill-prepared for combat in a region that has remained primarily abandoned for the past 50 years. 

There are no surveillance bases in deep Syrian territory from the Golan Heights, no secure military hideouts, and the army lacks even the minimum required provisions.

Nonetheless, the biggest concern is the lack of clear shooting directives, which could result in chaos on the ground. Some soldiers have voiced their frustration over this ambiguity. 

The announcement of the Syrian operation comes amidst the revelation that four Israeli soldiers were killed in Lebanon due to a security lapse by the Israeli army. The soldiers entered a site that had been booby-trapped by Hezbollah, leading to an explosion that killed them.

Simultaneously, Israel is reportedly preparing an offensive against Yemen, in retaliation for a drone attack on the town of Yavne in central Israel, potentially opening a fifth front in the ongoing conflict.