Israeli forces reportedly staged a prolonged incursion into Syrian territory overnight Friday, according to the Lebanese Al-Mayadeen network and Syrian sources.

Three IDF helicopters are said to have landed at a facility once tied to the presidential guard of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad in the Yafour area, roughly 10 kilometers west of Damascus. The Israeli troops allegedly held their position for nearly five hours before withdrawing.

Simultaneously, three IDF armored vehicles reportedly crossed into Syrian territory near the Lebanese border, entering the village of Rakhla under the cover of night.

The purpose of the operation remains shrouded in secrecy, but the presence of Israeli forces so close to the Syrian capital — and for such an extended period — marks an extraordinary escalation in Israel’s long-running shadow war against Iranian entrenchment and Hezbollah activity inside Syria.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)