The Israeli military carried out a raid in Syria during which it says it apprehended “a terrorist cell operated by Iran.” The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) revealed the operation, part of Israel’s continued efforts to thwart threats in southern Syria, on July 2. Israel has operated in a buffer zone and other areas within Syria since the fall of the Bashar al Assad regime on December 8, 2024. The apprehension of Iranian-linked suspects comes a week after a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran ended.
The IDF said on July 2 that “troops of the 474th Brigade, under the command of the 210th Division and in cooperation with field investigators from Unit 504, completed a night-time operation to apprehend a terrorist cell operated by Iran.” The raid took place in the wake of additional IDF activity in Syria in recent weeks, including interrogations of numerous suspects conducted in the southern part of the country. Ynet noted that “the operation involved Unit 504, which recruits and runs agents in enemy territory to provide real-time intelligence for operational purposes. According to IDF figures released in late 2024, the unit has conducted thousands of interrogations since the war began.”
The IDF said the suspects were caught in Umm al Lux and Ain al Batsali. The Alma Center for Research and Education, which focuses on threats to northern Israel, identified these areas as south of the Syrian village of Al Rafeed, which is located close to the 1974 ceasefire line that runs along the Golan.
“According to our assessment, the Iranian units involved in operating local Syrians include Branch 4000—the special operations directorate of the IRGC Intelligence Organization—or Unit 840, the Quds Force’s special operations unit. Unit 840 has previously succeeded in planting two explosive devices near the Israeli border fence in the aforementioned area (in August and November 2020),” the Alma Center concluded. The organization also noted that Israel had arrested a suspect in November 2024 who was involved in similar Iranian-backed activity.
The IDF added that “during the operation, the troops located weapons in the area where the terrorists were apprehended, including several firearms and grenades.” Video released by the Israeli military showed soldiers operating in a village in southern Syria as part of the raid.
The IDF said it is acting to prevent “entrenchment” of any terrorist threats in southern Syria. Israel has operated for many years to confront Iranian threats in Syria in what the IDF called the “campaign between the wars.” After the fall of the Assad regime, the Israeli military shifted to conducting strikes on the former regime’s military hardware, moved into a buffer zone, and took over new points inside Syria near the border. Israel also called for southern Syria to be a demilitarized zone, and it has carried out several rounds of airstrikes over the last six months.
There are various potential terror threats in Syria. For example, in early June, rockets were fired from the country toward Israel. It was not clear which group conducted the attack, but Israel held Syria’s government responsible for not preventing it. In addition, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) recently said there could be as many as 2,000 Islamic State fighters in Syria. On June 22, a church in Damascus was targeted in a bombing that killed at least 20 people, which “Syria’s Ministry of Interior Affairs told CNN […] was carried out by a ‘suicide bomber affiliated with the terrorist organization ISIS.’”
IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir visited the Golan on July 1 and met with the commander of the 210th Division, which is tasked with defending Israel’s border with Syria, and other officers. “We must maintain a high level of alertness and keep our eyes open at all times. Our defense in the Golan Heights region functions as a forward defense zone, carrying out proactive operations to prevent threats,” Zamir said.
The IDF increased its forces in the Golan after the fall of the Assad regime and has had several brigades operate in the area. On June 12 and June 30, the IDF said it carried out raids to apprehend terrorists in Syria. It did not mention links to Iranian-backed cells in those incidents
