(Times of Israel) Avi Issacharoff - Across Israel's border with the Syrian Golan, various areas are ruled by moderate rebels, Islamists, and regime forces. 60% of the border area is under the control of the opposition. The Syrian army today numbers 230,000 men. Facing them are 120,000 rebels, two-thirds of whom are Islamists - 10% affiliated with al-Qaeda - and they're all killing each other. In nearly every flash point in Syria, Hizbullah can be found. Their numbers in the country stand at 3,500-4,000 - one-third of their fighting force. Alongside them fight hundreds of members of the Qods Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps. This week Al-Arabiya reported that 56 bodies of Hizbullah fighters killed in al-Yabrud were transferred to Lebanon in recent days. The likelihood that Hizbullah is also operating on the Golan Heights is high. Israeli officials believe the cell that tried to place an explosive device last Wednesday along the border fence, in an area ruled by the regime, either belonged to Hizbullah or operated on its orders.
2014-03-14 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive