Israel Orders Troops to Keep Occupying Syria’s Al-Sheikh Mountain Through Winter

Damascus (Quds News Network)- Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz ordered the military to remain stationed on Al-Sheikh Mountain throughout the winter. The Syrian site overlooks Damascus and holds significant strategic value.

Katz emphasized the site’s importance, using the recent developments in Syria as a pretext to occupy the area at least throughout the winter. “Staying on Al-Sheikh Mountain is a security priority,” he claimed in an official announcement. Katz also posted a photo on X with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the occupied Golan Heights, captioning it: “A historic moment! Overlooking the Syrian Al-Sheikh Mountain, back under Israeli control after 51 years.”

Netanyahu declared the collapse of the 1974 disengagement agreement between Syria and Israel earlier this week. This followed the Syrian regime’s withdrawal from the buffer zone and Israel’s capture of the Syrian military site on Al-Sheikh Mountain.

The Israeli military has since reinforced its presence in the area. According to Maariv, the Israeli Security Cabinet unanimously approved creating a military-controlled buffer zone, mirroring its strategy in southern Lebanon.

Channel 12 reported that Israeli forces have begun deploying troops in the border area and warned Syrian opposition groups to avoid approaching. The military vowed to respond to any resistance.

The 1974 disengagement agreement, signed on May 31, 1974, sought to end hostilities following the 1973 October War. The accord required Israel to withdraw from Al-Sheikh Mountain and other areas but retained its control over most of the occupied Golan Heights. The region spans 1,200 square kilometers of the 1,800 square kilometers seized by Israel, fueling decades of political and military tension.