Military activities increase in Golan and Al-Ja'ouna

Amid the talk about a possible military strike on Syria, unusual numbers of Israeli soldiers have moved into the occupied Syrian Golan. Also, an Israeli military drill took place on Wednesday at the Rosh Pinna Airport in Al-Ja’ouna.

According to local sources in the Golan, the area has been witnessing unusual levels of military movements over the past few days. The sources described such military movements as heavy, saying that tremendous blasts could be heard.

The sources added that occupation forces have evacuated residents of the southern area at the entrance to Majdal Shams, due to the very loud sound of explosions heard in the area. The Israeli forces have also asked the remaining residents to keep the windows of their homes open so that their windows don’t break as a result of the high sound of the blasts.

The sources also said that Israel continues to build the high steel fence that it had started building in the area of Buq’ata.

In a similar report, Ynet stated that the Security and Emergency forces in the occupied Syrian Golan started a two-day drill on Wednesday. “During the exercise, security forces will be in the area and residents may hear gunfire and explosives,” Ynet said.

It added that an IDF spokesperson stressed that the two-day military exercise was pre-planned as part of its 2013 training program and is designed to maintain competency and alert readiness for the occupation’s security and emergency forces.

The Rosh Pinna airport has also been witnessing emergency military drills. During the drill, blasts could be heard and heavy rescue vehicle traffic was registered.

The airport’s director Yosef Glasberg said that there was no connection between the drill and the reports of a possible American-led attack on Syria. He stressed that the military exercise was pre-planned, and that it usually takes place once or twice a year with the goal of training teams to deal with emergencies.

Glasberg added that the drill simulates scenarios like the firing of gunfire on the airport, the kidnapping of passengers, and the seizure of the airport.