In a sign Israel may expand its ground operations against Hezbollah while bolstering its own defenses, its troops have cleared landmines and established new barriers on the frontier between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and a demilitarized strip bordering Syria, security sources and analysts said.
The move suggests Israel may seek to strike Hezbollah for the first time from further east along Lebanon's border, at the same time creating a secure area from which it can freely reconnoiter the armed group and prevent infiltration, the sources said.
While demining activity has been reported, sources — including a Syrian soldier stationed in south Syria, a Lebanese security official and a U.N. peacekeeping official — revealed additional unreported details that showed Israel was moving the fence separating the DMZ towards the Syrian side and digging more fortifications in the area.
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