Why is Syria’s Mount Hermon so important?
Last Updated on December 16, 2024 5:43 am
The United States, Israel and Turkey have been playing a game of interest in Syria since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government. After the rebel force Hayat Tahrir al-Sham took control of Damascus, the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on various installations in Syria. Turkey has also launched attacks targeting US-backed armed groups in Syria.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring organization, said that Israel has launched more than five hundred attacks in Syria since the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad.
Israel is not just attacking, Israeli troops have also taken control of Syria’s strategically important Mount Hermon. From where Damascus is only 40 kilometers away. But why is Mount Hermon so important?
Why did the United States launch the attack?
The United States has launched attacks on central Syria using sophisticated aircraft immediately after the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, citing the rise of ISIS. The Central Command also claims that the attacks were carried out as part of the ongoing US campaign to disperse, weaken and defeat ISIS.
It is also said that such a move is to prevent ISIS from taking advantage of the current situation in Syria. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that ISIS can once again establish its authority in Syria at this time after the fall of the Assad regime.
On the one hand, despite blaming ISIS, US President Joe Biden has a different tone in his voice. He has taken advantage of the absence of Iran and Russia, which have been influential in Syria for so long, as an opportunity. Biden said that Syria is currently in a state of risk and uncertainty, and for the first time, organizations like Russia, Iran or Hezbollah no longer have any influence.
What are Turkey’s interests?
Turkey has launched an attack on the Syrian border town of Manbij, targeting Western-backed Kurdish forces. The Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) has driven the Kurdish armed group YPG from the city since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria. Turkey has warned that it will not accept the emergence of the Kurdish rebel organization PKK alongside ISIS in the new situation in Syria.
Turkey considers the YPG to be the Syrian branch of the PKK. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the organization wants to exploit the current situation in Syria through a new conflict for its own interests. Ankara alleges that the United States, Europe, Israel and some Arab countries have been plotting to create a Kurdish state in Syria along Turkey’s border for many years. And Erdogan is determined to resist them.
Israel’s occupation begins?
Israel launched attacks on key Syrian military bases shortly after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham took control of Syria. It was also reported that the targets of the Israeli attacks were Bashar al-Assad’s military bases, dozens of warplanes, ground-launched missile systems, production areas, warehouses and surface-to-surface missiles.
Not only that, Israel has also begun occupying many areas of the Syrian-occupied Golan Heights in violation of the agreement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israeli troops are taking control of about 400 square kilometers of civilian areas in Syria. Israel occupied most of the Golan Heights in 1967 and illegally annexed the territory in 1981.
The United Nations declared this safe zone in the Golan Heights, which were occupied by Syria and Israel after the Middle East War in 1973.
Qatar, Iraq and Saudi Arabia have strongly condemned the Israeli occupation. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said that Doha considers this Israeli incursion as a dangerous development and a clear attack on the sovereignty and unity of Syria, which is a clear violation of international law. The recent Israeli land grab was also condemned by Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. He said that it is a violation of the 1974 Israel-Syria Disengagement Agreement.
Israel closer to Damascus
After occupying the buffer zone or safe zone, Israeli troops have also taken control of the strategically important Mount Hermon in the Syrian part. Mount Hermon is strategically important because it is the highest point in the region with an altitude of 2,814 meters. Mount Hermon is considered the most important natural fortress in the region. It is possible to predict enemy attacks from here.
In addition, the distance from here to the capital Damascus is only 40 kilometers. By installing radar on Mount Hermon, Israel will now be able to observe a much wider area. Due to its location on top, they will have special advantages in intelligence gathering as well as surveillance.
Military experts say that the deployment of advanced sensors will disrupt enemy communications and monitor troop movements. Special forces can use the mountain’s cover to conduct covert operations in Syria and beyond.
Impact on Hezbollah
Military analysts say that Israeli control of Mount Hermon will also affect Hezbollah’s strongholds in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah mainly supplies weapons and equipment through this mountain in the Bekaa Valley. Therefore, in addition to disrupting the supply of military supplies to Hezbollah, the group’s movements in the area will also be further limited.
Israel’s Security
The occupation of Mount Hermon is considered a major defensive shield for Israel. The Israeli army will be able to quickly repel hostile activities from Syria or Lebanon, along with strict surveillance. Control of Mount Hermon gives Israel a special advantage in confronting Iran, Hezbollah and other armed groups in the region. Those concerned believe that the occupation of Mount Hermon by the Israeli army sends a strong message to confront the enemy, including securing the country’s borders.