ALBAWABA - On Friday, a new group of Israeli Druze tried to cross the border into Syria to help their family members as the violence in the Suwayda region got worse. The group was stopped by Israeli Border Police, who also increased security along the border.
Channel 14 in Israel says that the Israeli military has been working hard to keep people from getting into places in the Golan Heights that it controls without permission. Even though there was an announcement of a truce, things are still tense on the border, and fears of new fighting are growing.
The Israeli military admitted earlier that it wasn't ready for the latest waves of invasion. Among these were the crossings of about 1,000 Druze from Israel into Syria and smaller groups coming into Israel from Syria. A lot of people who came back were caught with guns, which shows how bad the security situation is.
Israeli media also said that the army has been helping Druze villages in Syria with logistics. This includes parachuting goods from the sky during activities at night, which is why Israeli planes are often seen after dark.
Even though there is a ceasefire, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are said to be sending medical supplies to the Druze in northern Golan and sending troops to the area to protect the land.
The IDF said they didn't do any airstrikes overnight in Syria, but they did say they had done air support operations in Suwayda in the past, which are said to have forced the Syrian government to pull its troops back. As a warning to Damascus, Israeli fighter jets are said to have attacked armored units and key military sites in the city, such as the presidential house, the Ministry of Defense, and the offices of the Syrian General Staff.
Both overt and hidden Israeli participation has caused a lot of debate, with some saying it breaks the terms of the truce. Still, Israel keeps saying that what it does is to protect Druze villages that are in danger across the border.
