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JERUSALEM – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Friday that its troops had opened fire on an armed group in the Syrian Golan Heights, as tensions continue to simmer along Israel’s northern border.
The incident, which took place near the Syrian village of Turnejeh, resulted in no reported casualties. The IDF stated that operations in the area are ongoing.
According to reports from Syrian media, the armed groups had fired upon IDF forces before Israeli troops returned fire. The IDF justified its deployment in the region, citing the need to eliminate potential threats and safeguard Israeli citizens.
Preliminary claims from media affiliated with the Axis of Resistance, a coalition of Iranian-backed militant factions, suggested that the Islamic Resistance Front in Syria (IRFS) was responsible for the attack.
The IRFS, a relatively new faction, was established following the collapse of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government in early December.
Emergence of a New Armed Faction
The IRFS was reportedly founded by the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP), a historically secular organization that has long participated in armed conflicts against Israel.
According to research from the Alma Research Center, the SSNP announced the formation of the IRFS in response to what it described as “the silence of Syria’s new government and its inaction against Israel.”
The SSNP, which has deep-rooted ties to both Hezbollah and the Assad regime, has been involved in regional conflicts since the 1980s, particularly in Lebanon.
The party aligned with Hezbollah during the Lebanese Civil War and later supported the Assad regime in Syria’s protracted civil war. However, its influence diminished over time, particularly as Bashar al-Assad’s grip on power weakened.
The Alma Research Center suggests that the IRFS’s formation may be part of Iran’s broader strategy to regain influence in Syria following a series of setbacks due to Israeli military actions. Tehran has historically backed various militant groups across the region, including Hezbollah and other proxies operating in Syria.
Escalating Tensions in the Golan Heights
The latest clash underscores ongoing hostilities between Israel and militant factions operating in Syria. The Golan Heights, a strategic plateau controlled by Israel since the 1967 Six-Day War, remains a volatile front in the broader conflict between Israel and Iranian-backed groups.
Israel has carried out numerous airstrikes in Syria in recent years, targeting Iranian military infrastructure and weapons shipments destined for Hezbollah. The IDF has repeatedly warned that it will not tolerate the entrenchment of Iranian-backed militias near its borders.
Friday’s exchange of fire follows a series of similar incidents in recent months. While the IDF has not confirmed the extent of the engagement, military analysts suggest that such skirmishes are likely to persist as Iran and its allies seek to assert their presence in the region.
With no immediate resolution in sight, tensions along the Israeli-Syrian border remain high. The latest incident signals the continued volatility of the Golan Heights, as Israel remains on high alert against threats from armed factions operating in war-torn Syria.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members