Israeli official: We hope Assad regains control of the Syrian Golan

The Israeli security service expects fighting to break out in Syria near the ceasefire line in the Golan Heights warning battles could spill over to the occupied Golan Heights, an official said yesterday.

He pointed out that Israel hopes that the forces of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime would take control of the non-occupied part of the Golan Heights.

The Israeli news website NRG quoted the security official as saying that, in the coming days, heavy shooting is expected to spill over to the occupied Golan as the Syrian army and Hezbollah forces try to regain control of the country’s south and the areas surrounding the occupied Golan which are controlled by the rebel forces.

The website noted that the Israeli army is observing events in the Syrian territories near the occupied Golan and preparing to face any developments.

The security official said: “Israel will not intervene in the fighting, in the hope that Al-Assad will succeed in regaining control over the Syrian side of the Golan Heights”.

However, the same official warned that if fire is deliberately directed into Israel, there will be a response proportionate to the magnitude of damage caused in Israel.

The Israeli official pointed out that the battle is expected to take place between both Syrian and Hezbollah troops against the militants of the Nusra Front who have established a large training camp in Quneitra .