New Front: IDF Prepares for Days of Combat with Syria

The IDF is preparing for the possibility of a prolonged round of combat against Syrian forces, as tensions along the northern border rise sharply. According to military assessments, the developing conflict could span several days, marking the opening of a new front for Israel in the Syrian arena.

So far, the IDF has targeted over 160 sites in Syria, aimed primarily at preventing attacks against the local Druze population. However, military officials admitted that Israel was not fully prepared for a key scenario – the breach of the border fence by hundreds of Israeli Druze attempting to cross into Syria to aid their ethnic brethren.

Security sources said the military is now adjusting its readiness to account for continuous days of combat with forces loyal to Syria's interim president, Ahmad al-Shara. At the same time, Israeli airstrikes and operational missions continue across southern and central Syria.

Senior officials acknowledged that the rapid escalation and the mass civilian movement were not anticipated. Under directives from the political leadership, the defense establishment is now committed to both preventing a massacre of Druze civilians in Syria and ensuring the safe return of Israeli citizens who crossed into the war zone.

The prevailing assessment in Jerusalem is that fighting near the Syrian border could intensify quickly, requiring a significant reinforcement of IDF forces in the northern sector. This would also involve complex coordination with Israel’s own Druze communities, who are closely watching events unfold. Preventing further civilian crossings into Syria has become a top operational and diplomatic priority.