Syrian officials have reported that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) conducted a ground operation near Damascus on the night of August 28, a move that complicates ongoing, U.S.-brokered security negotiations between the two nations. The raid, which reportedly lasted nearly two hours, targeted a military base in the al-Kiswah area, a site that once housed Syrian air defense systems, against a backdrop of continued Israeli strikes on Syrian territory.
According to officials from Syria’s transitional government, the special forces operation may have been aimed at seizing military equipment left over from the former Assad regime. The area had already been subjected to a series of Israeli airstrikes in recent days, where Syrian forces also claim to have discovered surveillance and video recording devices. This latest ground incursion marks a significant escalation amidst a pattern of Israeli military actions on Syrian soil.
While the IDF officially declined to comment on ‘reports from foreign media,’ Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a statement underscoring Israel’s operational readiness. ‘Our forces are active on all fronts, day and night, for the security of Israel,’ Katz posted on social media platform X. The comment is widely interpreted as an indirect acknowledgment of Israel’s continued military posture across the region, even as it engages in a major conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
The raid follows a separate recent drone attack on a Syrian military facility on the outskirts of the capital, which Damascus condemned as a ‘clear violation of the republic’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.’ Syria’s Foreign Ministry has called on the UN Security Council to compel Israel to cease these attacks. These military confrontations present a stark contrast to the diplomatic track, where Israel and Syria are actively negotiating a landmark security agreement.
Syria’s transitional president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has noted progress in the talks, but the U.S. administration, which is mediating, suggests a final agreement remains distant. ‘They have shared intentions and desires, but at the moment, there is still a lot of work to be done,’ explained U.S. Special Representative for the Middle East, Tom Barrack, adding that the two neighbors, which lack diplomatic relations, are discussing the parameters of a potential deal in ‘good faith’ to ensure regional stability.
Significant hurdles remain, primarily centered on territorial disputes and military capabilities. Damascus is demanding the return of the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau captured and controlled by Israel since the 1967 Six-Day War. Concurrently, Israel strongly opposes Syria acquiring advanced Turkish-made air defense systems, which it fears would severely restrict its air force’s operational freedom in the region.
The regional picture is further complicated by Turkey, a key ally of the new Syrian government. A recent military cooperation deal between Ankara and Damascus includes the transfer of advanced drones and armored vehicles to Syria. The Turkish Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned Israel’s escalating military actions in Syria, stating they ‘directly undermine efforts to establish stability and security’ and must be stopped, vowing to support Syria’s territorial integrity.