Hezbollah and Iran taking over southern Syria - Mendi Safadi

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by Mendi Safadi

In retaliation for US sanctions on Iran, Hezbollah has increased its presence along the Israeli border so that it can attack the Jewish state at Tehran’s bidding.

One year after the Syrian government and its allies took over southern Syria, there has been increased infiltration of the area by Iranian-supported militias along the border with Israel, an area of great geopolitical importance. In retaliation for US sanctions on Iran, Hezbollah has adopted new methods and ways in order to exercise its influence in the area. These include increasing its presence along the Israeli border so it can attack the Jewish attack at Tehran’s bidding. However, the manner in which it is increasing its presence along Israel’s border is very complicated and cunning. In order to expose Iran and its proxies, such as Hezbollah, human intelligence on the ground is needed to expose the degree to which these proxies are approaching the Israeli border.

Four Lebanese Hezbollah militia bases were established in southern Syria over the past year – three in the Daraa Governorate and one in the Quneitra Governorate. These bases train new volunteers for the militias and are among the main armament facilities for the militia in southern Syria.

1. In early 2019, a big Hezbollah airbase was established in Daraa, similar to the military airbase next to Kraiym, north of Lajat. The militia dug many tunnels and facilities inside of bases, using them as special training bases for new fighters. Two of the officers in the camp, Adel and Rashid, have Lebanese citizenship. In addition, a number of trainers have Lebanese citizenship. There are eight trainers, who cooperate with officers that are part of the ninth company of Syria's military and with officers from the National Security Division, who ensure transport and supply routes.
2. A general base was established in early September after the Al-Namar militia forces expelled the population from a number of villages in the area of Lajat. They emptied these villages of their residents under the pretext that they included ISIS elements, and then Hezbollah transformed the civilian homes into military barracks.
   The ninth and fifth companies of Syria's army are under the direct control of El Haj Abu Hadi, one of the most prominent Hezbollah members in southern Syria. In addition, Hezbollah uses this base as a weapons and ammunition facility for short- and medium-range rocket launchers. These weapons were stored in Iraq and then transferred with the assistance of the Asaib Ahl Al Haq militia from Al-Dumayr Military Airport on the outskirts of Damascus to the area of Lajat.
3. The 52nd Brigade was established in January 2019 after the withdrawal of Hezbollah forces from Al-Zabadani and the Rima farms that surround it. They transformed the retreating forces into the 52nd Brigade near the town of Al-Hrak, northeast of Daraa, under the command of Yad Kassem, a Lebanese citizen living in Kirak. He is guarded by a soldier who is part of the Syrian Air Force Intelligence Unit.
4. Sabir Base was established in late 2018 under the direct supervision of Mustafa Mughniyeh, an officer in charge of the Hezbollah's Golan Heights portfolio, whose father Imad and brother Jihad were both Hezbollah leaders killed in attacks attributed to Israel. This base is under the command of the Golan Unit, which belongs to the 90th Brigade of the Syrian Army and is located between the villages of Hader and Harfa, north of Quneitra.

Hezbollah established these bases in order to obtain widespread control over the region. They seek to obtain regional domination on behalf of the Iranian regime with the assistance of families who utilize child soldiers. In recent months, Hezbollah has recruited hundreds of residents of the Quneitra region. Hezbollah also supplied spy equipment and listening devices at the beginning of this year to locals so that they could observe their enemies and also has a number of Hezbollah fighters with Lebanese citizenship based in the area. The Sokor Al Quneitra Division, which is close to Hezbollah, guarantees a supply route from the Set Zaynab area on the outskirts of Damascus and from the Erneh region south of Mount Hermon. A table showing these groups spreading along the border with the Golan Heights is in the possession of the Safadi Center but we chose not to publish it for security reasons.

In any event, Israel’s struggle to repel these groups from the Golan Heights border is of critical importance. The presence of these groups in the region poses an existential threat. It is of great importance that Israel nip this threat in the bud and defend its security interests along the Israeli border. Failure to do so will strengthen Iranian hegemony in the Middle East. This is why Israel has been attacking Iran in Syria and must continue to do so.


Mendi Safadi

Source: https://www.israelhayom.com/2019/08/16/hezbollah-and-iran-taking-over-southern-syria/

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