Israeli army to conduct military drill in Syria’s occupied Golan Heights

The Israeli army plans to conduct a military exercise on Thursday in the Syrian Golan Heights, a territory occupied by Israel since 1967.

A military statement said the army will mobilize more forces and vehicles to the occupied territory for the military exercise.

"Explosions are expected to be heard," the statement said. "There is no security threat."

After the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Israel expanded its occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights by seizing the demilitarized buffer zone, a move that violated the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria.

Israel also launched hundreds of airstrikes that targeted military sites and assets across Syria, including fighter jets, missile systems, and air defense installations, according to reports.

Assad, Syria's leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led anti-regime forces to oust Assad, was declared president for a transitional period in late January.