Israeli military building in Syria buffer zone, satellite image shows
Paul Brown, Richard Irvine-Brown and Alex Murray
BBC Verify
BBC / Planet Lab PBC
Newly released satellite imagery shows Israel Defense Force construction taking place within the demilitarised buffer zone that separates the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from Syria.
The image, obtained exclusively by BBC Verify, shows building work taking place at a location more than 600m inside what is known as the Area of Separation (AoS).
Under the terms of Israel’s ceasefire agreement with Syria in 1974, the IDF is prohibited from crossing the so-called Alpha Line on the western edge of the AoS.
When contacted about the images, the IDF told the BBC its “forces are operating in southern Syria, within the buffer zone and at strategic points, to protect the residents of northern Israel.”
The imagery captured on 21 January shows new structures and trucks at the cleared area.
Construction appears to have begun at the beginning of this year, with lower resolution imagery showing gradual development at the site since 1 January.
A new track or road measuring around 1km also appears to join with a pre-existing road that leads into Israeli territory.
Drone photographs shared by a Syrian journalist 20 January shows trucks, excavators and bulldozers at the site.
Jeremy Binnie, Middle East specialist a defence intelligence company Janes told us: “The photo shows what appear to be four prefabricated guard posts that they will presumably crane into position in the corners, so this is somewhere they are planning to maintain at least an interim presence”.
Construction at the site has been ongoing since the beginning of the year.
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