Israeli escalation against Lebanon from Mount Hermon, Syrian border

Israel has intensified its military movements along the Syrian–Lebanese border, taking advantage of the security vacuum in southern Syria. This has enabled it to expand the scope of its operations and open new axes for invasion, with a particular focus on border highlands, most notably Mount Hermon.

Over the past ten days, Israel has intensified its air raids and artillery shelling on areas in southern Lebanon, particularly in Al-Arqoub and the outskirts of the Shebaa Farms, in addition to towns in Nabatieh and Bint Jbeil. These attacks have targeted medical centers and emergency response points, resulting in a large number of casualties.

The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that the death toll since the beginning of the escalation has exceeded 1,200. As of March 29, the number had risen to 1,238 people, including 52 paramedics and 124 children, in addition to 3,543 wounded an indication of the widening humanitarian impact of the strikes.

Mount Hermon as a strategic stronghold

Images broadcast by Israeli media showed the participation of the “Mountain Brigade 810” in military operations launched from the eastern slopes of Mount Hermon toward Lebanese territory, indicating that the mountain has become a forward base for ground operations after Israel took control of its peaks on the Syrian side, granting it clear geographical and military superiority.

This shift did not occur suddenly but rather represents a continuation of ongoing Israeli movements over recent months, during which its forces reinforced their deployment from the Golan toward Daraa and Quneitra, reaching the foothills of the Hermon–Qalamoun range, benefiting from the absence of an effective Syrian military presence.

In a notable step, Israel announced the execution of cross-border operations from the Syrian side of Mount Hermon into southern Lebanon. Military units reportedly climbed through snowy terrain toward the Mount Ross (Har Dov) area to comb the region, gather intelligence, and expose enemy infrastructure, according to an Israeli army statement.

Additionally, border areas near Sargaya were reportedly used to carry out infiltration operations, alongside a previous ground incursion toward the town of Nabi Sheet in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley. This development has been considered a dangerous field escalation due to the direct use of Syrian depth in operations inside Lebanon.

Mount Hermon is one of the most prominent strategic points in the region, located at the intersection of the borders between Syria, Lebanon, and occupied Palestine. It provides extensive oversight over southern Lebanon and the Beqaa Valley, granting it significant military and intelligence importance in managing operations. For Israel, the mountain represents a vital position to enhance both defensive and offensive superiority on the northern front. For Syria, it serves as a natural line of defense for the south and the capital, Damascus; losing control over it increases the exposure of the security situation.

Mutual escalation along the border

On the Lebanese front, Hezbollah announced that it had carried out dozens of operations targeting sites inside Israeli territory within 24 hours, reflecting the continuation of open confrontation along the border. Meanwhile, Israel continues to expand its operations through airstrikes and limited ground movements, increasingly relying on border geography, including highlands and buffer zones to impose a new reality on the ground.

Observers believe that the current Syrian authorities appear unable to curb Israeli expansion or prevent the use of their territory as a launch point for operations, while Syrian airspace is increasingly becoming an open arena for warplanes. The transitional authority, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, is reportedly seeking to avoid any direct confrontation under regional pressure, particularly from Turkey. This dynamic contributes to entrenching the current field reality, leaving the Lebanese border open to further escalation, with the possibility that the confrontation may evolve into more complex levels in the coming phase.

ANHA