The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have initiated a new specialized mountaineering brigade to enhance operations along its contentious borders with Lebanon and Syria in light of escalating tensions tied to their ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.
Revealed on Tuesday, March 19th, the formation of the Heharim, or Mountain, Brigade aligns with strategic responses to the evolving dynamics along the northern frontiers, as determined by current military assessments.
Under Colonel Liron Appleman’s leadership, the brigade will integrate into the 210th Division, focusing its operations within the Mount Hermon and Mount Dov areas, territories currently overseen by the 810th Hermon Brigade. The brigade will begin its specialized operations in rugged terrain and mountain warfare in the upcoming weeks.
Brigadier General Zion Ratzon, the commander of the 210th Division, emphasized that the brigade will bolster operational capabilities, facilitate defensive and offensive strategies tailored to the specific challenges of the terrain and adversaries in the area, and address threats from Lebanon and Syria concurrently.
The inception of this brigade comes against a backdrop of intensifying confrontations, particularly with the Lebanese Hezbollah, which has launched attacks into northern Israel. Conversely, the IDF has executed airstrikes against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon.
While recent focus has been on Gaza due to a significant assault by the Palestinian Hamas and allied factions on October 7th, 2023, there’s growing apprehension regarding the potential for broader conflict along the Israel-Lebanon boundary.
IDF Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, highlighted the multifaceted nature of current hostilities, indicating engagements across Lebanon, Syria, Judea Samaria, Gaza, and beyond.
Simultaneously, Israel has conducted airstrikes in Damascus, Syria, targeting Hezbollah assets and underscoring the ongoing “war between wars” against Iran-affiliated elements in the region.
This map was used with permission from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Further complicating matters, factions aligned with Iran’s “Axis of Resistance” have targeted Israeli interests, including drone strikes by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq against an IDF base in the Golan Heights and missile attacks by Yemen’s Ansar Allah (Houthis) against Israel and associated maritime assets.
These developments occur as Hezbollah, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, and Ansar Allah demand an end to Israeli operations in Gaza. In contrast, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promises to commit to the campaign’s continuation until Hamas’s defeat and the return of all of the hostages.
Efforts led by Egypt and Qatar to mediate a ceasefire have yet to yield a resolution, raising concerns over the humanitarian impact in Gaza and the potential for a wider regional conflict, concerns shared by international leaders, including President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
