Israeli army settles in for 'long term occupation' of Syria's Mt. Hermon

Israel is deepening its occupation of Syrian territory, including making plans to retain control of the strategic summit of Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights, in addition to most of the water sources in Quneitra, in the wake of the fall of the Syrian government led by president Bashar al-Assad.

Al-Akhbar reports on 16 December that according to local sources, Israeli troops have carried out intensive searches and systematic destruction in some occupied areas, including drinking water pipes in a number of villages, with the aim of forcing residents to flee.

Israeli forces occupied two new villages near the Golan Heights on Sunday, Mazraat Beit Jinn and Maghar al-Mir, in the Damascus countryside, according to reporters for Anadolu Ajansi.

On Friday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered Israeli troops to prepare to stay over the winter on the 2,800-meter-high snow-capped Mount Hermon, a strategic location overlooking Damascus.