Israeli troops locate, dismantle weapons while operating within Syria amid sectoral violence
The IDF began operating in Syria when HTS took power in order to preemptively stop a sudden invasion by Syrian jihadists.
Over the last week, IDF troops located, confiscated, and dismantled numerous weapons in Syria while the military continued defensive operations at strategic points there, it announced on Saturday.
Soldiers in the Paratroopers Brigade, the Armored Corps, and the special forces Yahalom unit under the command of Brigade 474 conducted “targeted raids” in Syria, according to the IDF.
The troops destroyed rifles, ammunition, missiles, and additional military equipment.
The statement added that the IDF will “continue operations to eliminate any threat and strengthen the defense of the State of Israel and its citizens.”
Massacres in Syria
Within Syria, Syrian security forces and affiliated gunmen killed more than 340 civilians over the past two days, the vast majority of them from the Alawite minority, Reuters reported on Saturday.
Other Syrian sources have reported casualties at around 180-200 people.
Since Hayat Tahrir al-Shams (HTS) came to power in early December with Ahmed al-Sharaa at its head, there have been concerns that HTS may persecute minorities.
Sharaa attempted to change the face of HTS and make it seem as though the terror group was going to be a tolerant authority. However, it has been known that HTS had roots in jihadism; Sharaa was even a past member of al-Qaeda and was associated with ISIS.
The IDF began operating in Syria when HTS took power in order to preemptively stop a sudden invasion by Syrian jihadists.
Reuters, Seth J. Frantzman, and Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.