The Israel Army stated this Thursday that it carried out large-scale maneuvers in recent days on the border with Syria aimed at “increasing operational readiness” and “maintaining the forces’ capability to handle sudden and complex incidents.”
Read more The United States Justice blocks a new attempt by Trump to limit birthright citizenship
Thus, it detailed that the maneuvers involved the 210th Bashan Division, responsible for the situation on the border with Syria and Lebanon, before pointing out that “the forces practiced on dozens of scenarios,” including “incidents with mass casualties” and “medical evacuations.”
“The maneuvers included the assimilation of combat lessons from all sectors, particularly the lessons from October 7 (2023), with emphasis on the use of reserve forces, firepower, special forces, and the surveillance of the entire Israel Defense Forces (IDF) system,” it explained.
In this regard, it emphasized that “the IDF will continue to conduct periodic maneuvers with the aim of maintaining and strengthening the forces’ readiness, deepening cooperation among all agencies, and ensuring the security of the residents of the Golan Heights and all citizens of the State of Israel.”
Read more My pet and I: Molly, the traveling cat
The announcement about the maneuvers came just two days after Syria’s Foreign Minister, Asaad al Shaibani, emphasized Damascus’s willingness to work towards a “diplomatic solution” with Israel despite repeated attacks by Israeli forces against the country in recent months following the fall of Bashar al Assad’s regime in December 2024.
Al Shaibani denounced that “Israel continues its aggression on Syrian territory” and recalled that various Israeli senior officials have promised that their forces will not withdraw from the strategic Mount Hermon, taken after Al Assad’s flight, despite which he stated that Syria “maintains the commitment to seek a diplomatic solution and works diligently to achieve that goal.”
Israel and Syria have held several rounds of negotiations, including one in Jordan, although Israeli troops have continued their raids and bombings, including one launched in August against a military base arguing that Turkish troops were there, something denied by Ankara. The United States criticized its ally for this action.
