The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will maintain their position atop Mount Hermon’s Syrian peak through the winter months, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Friday. This move comes after the fall of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s regime on Sunday and aims to prevent extremist groups from seizing control of the strategically vital area.
Mount Hermon, the highest point in the region, is critical for radar and intelligence operations due to its commanding view of the surrounding landscape. While Israel has long controlled a lower section of the mountain, the peak had been under Syrian control until IDF special forces recently seized it after Syrian troops abandoned their positions.
Katz emphasized the importance of securing the peak, especially given ongoing instability in Syria. “Due to what is happening in Syria, there is a huge security importance to our holding of the Hermon peak,” Katz stated. He instructed the IDF to prepare for harsh winter conditions to ensure their ability to hold the position.
The IDF’s presence is supported by the 810th Mountain Brigade, recently formed to operate in high-altitude, snowy conditions. Israel also manages a ski resort on its side of Mount Hermon but keeps a heavy military presence in the area due to its strategic significance.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry defended the operation as a temporary measure to prevent extremist factions, including radical Islamists within the Syrian rebels, from gaining control of the high ground over Israeli territory. While the IDF’s stay on the Syrian side of the peak is officially labeled temporary, the strategic value of the position suggests that Israel may hold it for an extended period.
Mount Hermon has been a site of contention in the past. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Syria briefly captured Israel’s base on the mountain before Israeli forces reclaimed it in a complex operation. The peak was later returned to Syria under a 1974 armistice agreement.
The IDF’s current occupation of the peak underscores the shifting dynamics in the region following Assad’s fall and reflects Israel’s determination to protect its borders from emerging threats.
