IDF ready to protect Druze town from Syrian rebels

Israeli troops are ready to protect the Syrian Druze town of Khader from opposition rebels, Haaretz reported on Friday.

“The IDF [Israel Defence Forces] is prepared and ready to help the villagers and prevent damage or occupation of the village out of a commitment to the Druze population,” an army statement revealed. It added that allegations of Israeli involvement and assistance to global jihadi elements in the fighting on the Golan Heights are “groundless”.

The IDF statement was issued in the wake of heavy fighting in Khader on Friday morning. A car bomb killed at least nine people and injured 23 in the town, which is approximately three kilometres from the border of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

According to Haaretz, the IDF pointed out that if Israeli military intervention had been required, the assessment was that the air force and artillery would have been deployed.

Asa Winstanley: Israel’s new occupation zone in Syria

Meanwhile, Quds Press said that the Israeli occupation army had recently dissolved the Druze Brigade, fearing it would intervene if Syrian Druze were attacked.

Israel has declared the Golan Heights to be a closed military zone in order to undermine any infiltration from the Druze neighbourhoods on the Syrian side of the border.