Israel arrests shepherd on the Syrian border

A shepherd who crossed the Syrian border into Israel was arrested on Sunday by the Israel Defence Forces, the Jerusalem Post has reported. According to the IDF, the man crossed the border intentionally and was apprehended east of the security fence in the Golan Heights area.

The Golan Heights has been annexed illegally by Israel since the 1967 Six Day War. The US recognised Israeli sovereignty over the territory in 2019 in contravention of international law.

Last week, Israel launched missiles from the occupied Golan Heights and caused material damage on the Syrian side of the border. Israel routinely carries out raids within Syria, mostly against targets linked to Iran to prevent the Iranians from consolidating a foothold along the border.

According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the latest Israeli attack hit a position held by regime forces in an area where no pro-Iran militias are to be found. The organisation added that an Israeli attack on eastern Syria killed 57 government and allied fighters on 13 January, in the occupation state’s deadliest ever raid on its neighbour.

READ: Iran militias redeployed following Israel airstrikes in Syria