Militants ask Israel to bomb southern Syria: Report

Foreign-backed militants fighting against the Syrian government have called on the Israeli regime to target the positions of the Syrian army and Hezbollah resistance movement in the Golan Heights, a report says.

The appeal comes as the Syrian forces, backed by Hezbollah fighters, have made gains against the militants in the southern parts of Syria and inflicted heavy losses on them in the recent days.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Thursday that Syrian troops and allied fighters “have made significant progress” in the sensitive border regions near Jordan and the occupied Golan Heights.

“Syrian rebels, whose forces are fighting against a new offensive in the south by the axis of the Syrian army, Hezbollah, and Iran, are calling on Israel to attack their positions before they are able to take the Syrian Golan that borders Israel,” an Israeli Druse, who is in frequent contact with the militants in Syria, was quoted by the Israeli Jerusalem Post as saying.

The report also added that Mendi Safadi, who served as former Likud Deputy Minister Ayoub Kara’s chief of staff, met with members of the militant groups from Syria in Bulgaria around 10 days ago and “traveled in the region, met with activists, and relayed messages from them to the Prime Minister [Benjamin Netanyahu]’s office.”

Safadi told the Jerusalem Post that the Syrian forces are “using all means” to retake control of the areas in southern Syria.

“The Syrian opposition contacted me yesterday [Wednesday] in a Whatsapp message and asked for me to relay a message to the Israeli prime minister that Israel should give Hezbollah and Iran another hard hit in order to stop their progress,” he said.

Safadi added that a commander of the terrorist Free Syrian Army, who did not want to be identified, “relayed to me coordinates where Syrian and Hezbollah forces are located.”

Israel treating injured militants

The militants “have been hit hard,” he said, adding that many injured terrorists have crossed into Israel for medical treatment over the past few days.

Around 2,000 militants from Syria have been treated by Israel, Safadi said.

Israeli attack

Israel carried out an airstrike on the Syrian section of the Golan Heights on January 18, killing six Hezbollah members as well as Brigadier General Mohammad Ali Allahdadi, an Iranian commander. Hezbollah said 25-year-old Jihad Mughniyeh, the son of slain Hezbollah top commander, Imad Mughniyeh, was also among those killed in the attack.

They were reportedly on a field reconnaissance mission in Quneitra when an Israeli military helicopter targeted their vehicle. Following the attack, Israel claimed that it was unaware of the presence of an Iranian commander in the area where the attack happened. Iranian officials, however, have rejected the claim, describing it as a routine tactic used by Israelis to hide their evil intentions.

Allahdadi had traveled to Syria to provide consultation and help the Syrian government and nation counter the Takfiri terrorists in the country.

The Lebanese resistance movement carried out a retaliatory attack on January 28, killing two Israeli soldiers and injuring several others in an area in southern Lebanon that is occupied by the Israeli regime. Hezbollah’s surprise attack also destroyed at least nine Israeli military vehicles.

The Israeli regime responded with combined aerial and ground strikes on southern Lebanon.

DB/HJL/MHB

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