The tension hiding behind the quiet in the Golan: "The enemy is operating anew"
From a stone moved from its place to a herd with an unusual number of shepherds: fighters of the 595th Battalion track every change beyond the border. A special glimpse into the activity of the fighters who are our eyes in Syria.
Fighters of the 595th Combat Intelligence Collection Battalion operating in the Syria, Hermon, and Mount Dov sector finished a battalion exercise this week, conducted alongside the collection activity they perform along the Syrian border. The battalion's fighters are the eyes of the IDF deep in the security space in the Golan and in northeastern Lebanon. They know the terrain best, and every smallest change—from a stone out of place to a patrol of Syrian pickup trucks lingering in the area—triggers them. Even a herd of sheep with five shepherds immediately arouses suspicion.
The quiet in the Bashan Division area is misleading. Despite the beauty of the Golan, this backdrop is deceptive. In the eyes of the combat intelligence fighters, it is clear that events are unfolding beneath the basalt stones of the Golan. In the midst of the military tension between Israel, Syria, and Turkey, the IDF allowed an accompanying patrol with Major M., the deputy battalion commander, who finished her role yesterday night (Thursday) after two years.
The Syrian regime is trying to establish its power
Battalion fighters say that since the fall of the Assad regime, one can see the beginning of governmental development in areas close to the border, along with the need to create a new order with armed police forces. "From afar they look serious. In practice, they don't impose much order, which does not harm our freedom of action," says Lieutenant E., deputy company commander.
Al-Julani's men act calculatedly, understanding the complexity of controlling the space. Syria is built of ethnic groups, tribes, and different sects. In the Syrian Golan, the population composition varies: Druze villages like Hader in the north, Sunni villages in the center, and Bedouin tribes and jihadist gangs in the south.
Currently, the Syrian regime is trying to establish power in crowded urban centers, marking them as the center of gravity for governance. Al-Julani prefers to concentrate his forces in Damascus and its surroundings. "They don't approach this area. We hold a dialogue to ensure they don't reach our space. We don't create unnecessary friction, but if someone tries, the army will respond accordingly," says Major M.
Identifying unusual moves
According to Major M., fighters and observers often identify unusual moves. Who is behind them? The fighters speculate that these are terrorist squads or regime personnel examining the situation. But these suspects operate with a low profile. "When you see a herd of forty sheep with five shepherds, you understand the matter. We work in the division's sector, a few kilometers inside. We have capabilities to observe deep areas, but our primary targets are threats in the buffer space," says Lieutenant E.
The Syrian regime is not building an army with heavy weapons in the Golan. "It has only light means here, police squads on pickups," says Lieutenant E. Major M. adds that the IDF monitors attempts to establish infrastructure: "We check if there is an attempt to establish permanent positions or posts. As of now, they are not approaching the buffer space." Asked where the Syrian army forces stop, Major M. says: "They are positioned in various areas, but far from the Israeli border. We estimate they lack the capabilities, but we are preparing for any scenario."
Need to maintain operational alertness
In the afternoon, the Quneitra border crossing was busy. UN soldiers tasked with guarding the ceasefire agreement changed their activity cycle as dozens of soldiers from several countries left their posts, replaced by new arrivals. Major M. watches from the roof of a former police building in old Quneitra. Around are dozens of destroyed buildings, some hit during the Yom Kippur War, others in recent years. Terrorist organizations have reached the area multiple times, but the IDF identified and hit them.
"There is always tension here; one must maintain operational alertness and be in a state of triple readiness: Israel, Syria, Turkey—especially following the attack on the Abu al-Duhur airfield," notes Major M.
Understanding the terrain and the enemy's new methods
Following the airfield attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated he would not allow the establishment of Turkish forces or other bodies. Fighters of the 595th Battalion know they are the eyes of the State of Israel. "The moment the Assad regime fell, we positioned ourselves as a space separating us from enemies. We create a stronger defense so the enemy meets an army, not citizens," says Major M.
In summary, she says: "Syria has always been a space with many power factors trying to establish themselves. The challenges we meet are understanding the terrain and how the enemy operates anew. The Assad regime reached a turning point, and for nearly two years we have been trying to re-characterize the terrain and the enemy, which is still busy with internal Syrian problems rather than external forces."
