Israel building military line in occupied Syrian territory, Damascus says

Syria has accused Israel of constructing a major military fortification, known as the Sufa 53 Line, in occupied Syrian territory along the Golan Heights. This development is seen as a violation of the 1974 disengagement of forces agreement brokered by US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. The Syrian Foreign Ministry stated that the construction of the line is a continuation of the "aggressive approach of the Israeli occupation" and "undermines a US drive for peace."

The Syrian territory in question would move east if the Sufa Line is completed, entrenching Israel's occupation of Syrian land. The Sufa Line is a north-south road with major barriers, observation posts, and firing positions. It would run two to three kilometers parallel to the 1974 armistice line, starting near the town of Hader in Quneitra governorate and ending in the Yarmouk river basin in Deraa governorate.

Israel began work on the Sufa 53 Line in 2022 to counter infiltration by militant groups supported by Iran. If constructed, the line would run through Syrian farms and properties, but not highly populated areas. The construction of the Sufa Line signals a breakdown in trust between Syria and Israel, according to a security source in Amman.

This comes after Israel's involvement in Syria following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, and the killing of an infiltrator by Israeli forces in southern Syria on Monday.