The rising tension on Israel’s northern and southern borders

The rising tension on Israel’s northern and southern borders has the country’s defense establishment in a constant state of high alert. While a retaliatory attack could come at any moment from Islamic Jihad and Hamas to avenge the deaths of top terrorist leaders inside a tunnel near Gaza the IDF’s eyes are focused primarily on the escalating situation in the north.

The North

The Syrian perimeter drew high-level attention last week as Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot deputy chief of staff Aviv Kochavi Northern Command head Yoel Strick and territorial division commanders — devoted Tuesday and Wednesday to a comprehensive tour of the area.

This unusual senior staff excursion was precipitated by Iran’s stated intention of expanding its presence in Syria. Satellite images posted online two weeks ago by the BBC clearly show construction underway on some sort of large compound south of Damascus. It doesn’t appear to be a naval or air base which would be Israel’s main concern. However Iran admits to building the installation in response to an official request by the Assad regime. And a month ago on a visit to the Syrian capital General Mohammad Bagheri the chief of staff of the Iranian military did ask his hosts to build a port and an air base in Tartus for use by his forces. A very highly placed source said that Israel’s main efforts at the moment are directed at preventing any such bases as well as enforcing a no-go zone in the Golan Heights.

“Iran wants to establish itself militarily in Syria right next to Israel ” Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said in a BBC interview two weeks ago. “Israel will not let that happen.”