Syria TV reported the incursion of Israeli tanks and vehicles that have started constructing a military dirt road in the Golan region of Syrian territory. Images show land levelling operations and trench digging near the border fence, coinciding with escalating Israeli actions against Lebanon.
The vehicles are supported by a military force comprising six Merkava tanks and two bulldozers, along with several Israeli soldiers who have entered Syrian territory.
Sufa 53 Road
These photos depict the construction of the Sufa 53 road, as designated by Israel, along with the digging of trenches adjacent to this new roadway.
The trenches measure between five and seven meters deep and include observation points spaced one kilometer apart along the entire border, staffed by soldiers and designated for military supply and evacuation routes.
The road extends from the north, opposite the town of Ain al-Tineh, and continues southward, reaching west of the town of Ovania in Quneitra. It is expected to stretch more than 70 kilometers toward the Syrian-Jordanian border, initially situated about 200 meters from the occupied territories but expanding to over a thousand meters into Syrian territory near Ovania and al-Hurriya.
This development constitutes a violation of the “disengagement” agreement signed in 1974 between Syria and Israel, established following the October War. Notably, the new road is located east of the “Bravo Line” defined by that agreement.
What does Israel want?
Analysts suggest that these actions are part of an Israeli strategy to create a “security belt” along the border, capitalizing on regional turmoil and the “unprecedented” escalation against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and within Syrian territory.
Khaled Khalil, a journalist specializing in Israeli affairs, stated in an interview with the Syria Today program that Israel aims to exploit current regional dynamics to strengthen its influence in the occupied Golan.
“Israel is using this incursion to establish a new security equation in its conflict with Iran’s proxies in the region, especially following the IRGC’s activities in southern Syria and their attempts to replicate Hezbollah’s model there,” Khalil said.
Brigadier General Asaad al-Zu’bi, a military and strategic analyst, expressed concerns about Israel’s intentions to occupy the remaining parts of the Golan, which would violate the “disengagement” agreement.
Zu’bi noted that these Israeli moves coincide with a diminishing role of Russian forces in the region, potentially giving Israel greater freedom of action.
“The withdrawal of some Russian forces from areas near the Golan may destabilize the security situation on the border, allowing Israel to operate with fewer obstacles,” he said.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
