|
Trending Topics
|
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=45035
Israel Faces ISIS in the Golan Heights
(Israel Hayom) Yoav Limor - Israel faces Islamic State in two sectors: the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights. The security fence in the southern part of the Golan Heights does not overlap with the border. For operational and topographical reasons, there are small enclaves between the border and the security fence stretching up to 2 km. deep in some areas. The IDF engages in dozens of nightly operations in these areas, some on the fence and some beyond it, with the sole purpose of preventing ISIS operatives in Syria from striking Israel. ISIS now has 1,000 operatives in the Syrian Golan Heights, equipped with light artillery, mortars, explosive charges, and anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles. Since February, ISIS has doubled the area under its control and now lords over some 100,000 residents. The enclaves remain the only areas in the Golan Heights to still have land mines. Across the rest of the area, rebels collected thousands of mines the Syrian army had scattered there to use against President Assad's troops.