Russian military in Syria. Photo: open source.
Military build-up on the border between Syria and Israel continues. Russia has announced plans to increase its military presence in the Golan Heights, causing a new wave of alarm among international observers. Syrian media, in particular the SANA news agency, cited the Kan Bet radio station as saying that new observation posts of Russian troops were being deployed, which again increases tensions in this strategically important region, according to the TimeUkraineIsrael portal, based on materials from Cursorinfo.
Russia to place new posts in the Golan
According to officials, Russia plans to increase the number of observation posts on the Syrian part of the Golan Heights to nine. In particular, on 9 November, a new observation point was opened in the Tal Ahmar area, which was equipped under the control of Russian troops. The Russian flag was also raised there. These actions are part of the overall strategy of strengthening Russia’s military presence in Syria, where it has been stationed since 2015 at the invitation of the local authorities. Alexander Rodionov, a spokesman for Russia’s radiation, chemical and biological defence troops, said that Russian forces are not only not abandoning their positions, but are also strengthening their control over key regions.
Purpose and consequences: to increase tensions
The main purpose of the new stations is to protect the strategic Golan Heights region from possible threats, in particular from Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Israel. In the context of growing tensions in the Middle East, Russia is trying to maintain control over this territory, which is important not only from a military but also from a geopolitical point of view.
Russian weapons in the Middle East
At the same time, against the backdrop of active military operations in South Lebanon, Israeli troops have discovered significant stocks of modern Russian weapons belonging to the Shiite group Hezbollah. This discovery further confirms suspicions that Russia is supplying modern weapons to the region, in particular through Syrian territory. The seized arsenal includes modern Kornet anti-tank missiles manufactured in 2020.
Some of these weapons probably passed through Syrian warehouses, as Moscow is actively supplying the Syrian army with weapons. The Israeli military has expressed concern about the scale of this supply, especially given the high level of technological equipment of the found missiles, which Hezbollah is actively using against Israeli forces.
Impact on security in the region
These developments demonstrate Russia’s growing role in supporting the forces acting against Israel, in particular through the channel of arms supply. The arsenal that Hezbollah has acquired significantly increases the group’s combat capabilities, which in turn increases threats to stability in the Middle East. The Israeli army (IDF) has already noted that 60-70% of the weapons found are of Russian origin. This once again confirms Russia’s involvement in regional conflicts and raises concerns about further developments in the situation.
Russia’s increased military presence on the Syrian-Israeli border and the supply of sophisticated weapons to Hezbollah are of serious concern to international observers. These steps could have far-reaching consequences for stability in the Middle East, as they increase tensions and create new security risks in the region.
