The Israeli military announced on Dec. 7 that its troops were aiding United Nations peacekeepers in repelling an attack by unidentified armed individuals in the Golan Heights buffer zone.
The UN Disengagement Observer Force (Undof) confirmed the incident, stating that around 20 armed individuals entered one of its positions in the northern part of the buffer zone. A spokesperson for UN Peacekeeping emphasized that the “inviolability of UN premises must be respected at all times.”
The Israeli army identified the attack’s location as the Hader area, a Syrian town near the buffer zone. “The [Israeli army] is currently assisting the UN forces in repelling the attack,” the statement read.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar expressed concern over violations of the 1974 armistice with Syria, adding, “Israel does not intervene in the internal conflict in Syria.” Meanwhile, Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi visited the Syrian border, emphasizing Israel’s focus on monitoring Iranian activities and ensuring Syrian factions do not escalate tensions with Israel.
The incident comes as Syrian rebels seized control of Quneitra, 12 kilometers south of Hader, amid a resurgence of Syria’s civil war. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the conflict reignited in late November, with rebels capturing key territories.
The Golan Heights has been under Israeli control since the 1967 Six-Day War, though the annexation remains unrecognized by much of the international community. Undof has patrolled the buffer zone since 1974, though past incidents, including the 2014 hostage-taking of peacekeepers, underscore the region’s volatility.