The Israel Defense Forces said it identified three suspects who crossed into Syria from the Mount Hermon area overnight. An IDF force extracted them and transferred them to police custody. The suspects' identities and affiliation were not disclosed.
The IDF confirmed Wednesday that three Israeli civilians who crossed into Syria near Mount Hermon on Tuesday night have been returned to Israeli territory and transferred to police custody. The three, identified as members of the 'Bashan Pioneers' activist group, spent the entire night in Syria before being located and extracted by IDF forces. The military condemned the incident as a serious disruption of operational activity and a danger to troops, and called for the prosecution of those involved.
First reported by Army Radio at 16:08 Jerusalem Wednesday, the incident was quickly corroborated by multiple Israeli news outlets, which identified the individuals as activists from the Bashan Pioneers movement. i24NEWS reported that the three had remained in Syria overnight, and the IDF later confirmed the return and publicly condemned the crossing. The military described the act as a criminal offense that endangers civilians and forces.
The Bashan Pioneers group has a history of border crossing attempts in the Mount Hermon area. As The Zioneer reported on July 22, five activists were arrested in a similar attempt, and on July 21, an airstrike was narrowly averted after military observers identified the infiltrators as Israeli activists rather than hostile operatives. The group has stated its goal is to establish a permanent civilian presence in the area.
The identities of the three individuals have not been officially disclosed, and the legal proceedings against them remain pending. It is unclear whether the IDF will release further details or whether the activists face charges.
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