Sources disclosed to the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat on Tuesday that US-mediated discussions between Damascus and Jerusalem in recent months produced "a written security agreement" slated for signing on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September. Syria's de facto president, Ahmed al-Sharaa (also known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani), attended that assembly. Nevertheless, according to the sources, Netanyahu declined to sign the written accord.

The sources emphasized that conditions in southern Syria have become deeply troubling, with Damascus anticipating that Washington will leverage its influence over Israel to curtail the escalation in the region. The officials stated that the expectation is "to restore the status quo ante," given that "President Trump possesses the capability to persuade Israel to halt the escalation across southern Syria." Syrian leadership has insisted over the past year that Israel retreat from territories captured since December 2024, thereby honoring the Separation of Forces Agreement (the 1974 accord following the Yom Kippur war that established a UN-monitored zone on the Golan Heights).

Within this framework, senior Syrian officials were quoted in the report asserting that Israel has carried more than 1,000 air strikes in Syria, alongside more than 400 ground incursions in the southern provinces since December 2024, when al-Sharaa took office.

The Saudi newspaper further reported that Israeli-controlled territory in Syria since the Assad regime's collapse a year ago exceeds 460 square kilometers (178 square miles). The account alleged that nine military installations and observation posts have been erected within this area. This is in addition to Israel's seizure of the Mount Hermon summit, which provides surveillance capabilities over Syrian and Lebanese terrain.

Earlier, the Reuters news agency reported that multiple stringent US sanctions imposed during the Assad era could be revoked within weeks. Their removal has been incorporated into comprehensive defense policy legislation poised for passage in the US Congress in coming days. Since the Assad regime's downfall, Washington has already lifted a substantial portion of the sanctions. These measures are anticipated to bolster the Syrian economy under al-Sharaa's administration.

The Prime Minister's Office dismissed the report outright, saying: "Total fake news. There were contacts and meetings under US auspices, but matters never reached the point of agreements and understandings with Syria."

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Iran had functioned as one of Damascus's most essential supporters throughout the civil war that ignited in 2011 after the regime's brutal response to pro-democracy demonstrations, sending military advisers and Revolutionary Guards forces to Syria, AFP reported.

Revolutionary Guards units and regional allies – chiefly Hezbollah fighters from Lebanon, plus combatants from Iraq and Afghanistan – had occupied strategic locations and propped up Assad's regime, only to vanish as Islamist-led forces charged toward the capital, according to AFP.

Syrian military officers and troops operated under Revolutionary Guards command, whose influence grew during the conflict while Assad's authority weakened, AFP reported.

A former Syrian officer posted at a Guards security facility in Damascus said that on December 5, 2024, his Iranian commander ordered him to an operations center in Mazzeh district the next day to address an "important matter," according to AFP. The ex-officer, requesting anonymity over safety concerns, said his commander – identified as Hajj Abu Ibrahim – delivered a bombshell announcement to about 20 Syrian officers and soldiers assembled for the briefing, AFP reported.

"From today, there will be no more Iranian Revolutionary Guards in Syria. We're leaving," those present were informed, according to AFP. "It's all over. From today, we are no longer responsible for you."

They were instructed to destroy or burn classified documents and extract hard drives from computers, AFP reported. The declaration came as Islamist forces secured massive gains, yet it still caught Syrian soldiers by surprise, he said, according to AFP.

"We knew things hadn't been going well, but not to that extent." They received advance payment covering one month and departed for home, AFP reported.

Within two days, Islamist forces captured Damascus without fighting after Assad escaped to Russia, according to AFP. Two Syrian staff members at Iran's Damascus consulate, requesting anonymity for security purposes, also recounted a hurried Iranian departure, AFP reported. The consulate stood empty by December 5 evening as Iranian diplomats scrambled across the border into Beirut, they informed AFP.

Multiple Syrian employees "who held Iranian nationality left with them, accompanied by senior Revolutionary Guards officers," one former employee stated, according to AFP. At Jdeidet Yabus – Syria's primary Lebanese border crossing – taxi operators and former staff documented enormous congestion on December 5 and 6, with eight-hour delays to cross the frontier, AFP reported.

Both ex-consulate workers said Iranians instructed Syrian personnel to remain home and compensated them three months' wages, according to AFP.

The embassy, consulate and all Iranian security installations were abandoned by December 6 morning, they said, AFP reported.

Throughout the conflict, forces under Iranian authority concentrated in critical Damascus zones and suburbs, especially Sayyida Zeinab district – site of a significant Shiite Muslim shrine – and around Damascus airport, plus near Lebanese and Iraqi frontiers, according to AFP.

Sections of northern Aleppo and other provincial sites also functioned as major deployment zones for personnel and combatants, AFP reported.

At a location that formerly operated as a crucial Iranian military base south of Aleppo, Colonel Mohammad Dibo said when the city fell early in the rebel campaign, "Iran stopped fighting," according to AFP.

Iranian forces "had to withdraw suddenly after the quick collapse" of Assad's military, stated Dibo, who participated in the rebel offensive and currently serves in Syria's new armed forces, AFP reported. On severely damaged walls at the deserted base, an AFP journalist observed Iranian and Hezbollah slogans plus a mural showing a sword slicing through an Israeli flag, according to AFP.

Israel – Tehran's foe – had conducted hundreds of airstrikes on Syria during the war, primarily claiming it targeted Assad's forces and Iran-backed organizations, AFP reported. The anonymous former Syrian army officer said that on December 5, a high-ranking Iranian military official known as Hajj Jawad and several Iranian troops and officers were transported to Russia's Hmeimim base on the Mediterranean coast, then airlifted to Tehran, according to AFP.

At the deserted site near Aleppo, Dibo said following the city's collapse, "some 4,000 Iranian military personnel were evacuated via Russia's Hmeimim base" where they had sought refuge, AFP reported. Additional personnel escaped overland through Iraq or Lebanon, he stated, according to AFP.

The departure proved so hurried that "when we entered their bases" in Aleppo province, "we found passports and identity documents belonging to Iranian officers who didn't even have time to retrieve them."

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Olabi noted negotiations continue, and their nature remains primarily security-focused, based on the agreement signed after the Yom Kippur War. "The focus of the talks is mainly on border checkpoints, the number of forces on each side, and similar matters," the ambassador was quoted as saying by the Syrian news site Al-Watan.

"The discussions address several issues and concerns of both sides. If Israel has security concerns, they can be addressed. If other issues are not security-related, they require a different approach," the ambassador said, apparently referring to the Druze issue in the Druze Mountain region, who were attacked by the Damascus regime.

The ambassador described Syrian President al-Sharaa's visit to Washington as a "historic opportunity" and stated that his country aims to establish "a space of peace, security, and stability on its southern border."

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Approximately 60 years ago, on May 18, 1965, Syria executed the operative, "our man in Damascus," who ranked among the most accomplished spies the Mossad deployed in Syria. He had achieved legendary status through his extraordinary infiltration of Syrian leadership circles, becoming an advisor to senior decision-makers. Following his capture, authorities conducted a show trial, and despite Israeli attempts to negotiate an agreement with the Syrians to spare his life, he received a death sentence and was executed by hanging at midnight in Damascus's central square.

Video: Eli Cohen's personal items retrieved / Credit: PMO

The passing years transformed Cohen, a hero and legend both in life and death, into a recognizable figure in every Israeli household, including a Netflix series exploring his life. Nevertheless, all efforts to establish him as a legend did not diminish his family and friends' pain, nor did they provide answers to the questions surrounding his death.

In May, precisely 60 years following his execution, through a covert Mossad operation, Syrian archives concerning the late Eli Cohen were retrieved alongside thousands of additional materials held by the enemy army. The archives contain approximately 2,500 documents, raising fresh hope for locating his burial site after his execution in Syria.

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The neighborhood is located near Al-Mezzeh Airport in the southwest of the capital. Earlier, eviction orders were published and signed by the "Public Housing Committee." The orders state: "We inform all those residing in unofficial housing in the al-Sumariya neighborhood to evacuate all homes within a maximum period of 72 hours."

Additionally, videos were published yesterday showing security personnel from al-Sharaa's regime attacking Alawites from the same neighborhood whom they had arrested. Subsequently, women from the neighborhood demonstrated against the arrests and were also attacked by regime personnel.

Residents were reportedly forced to sign documents waiving their property rights. Incidents of looting gold jewelry and stealing cash from homes were also reported.

Following the events, the Alawite Religious Council in Syria published a condemnation statement: "We reject the crimes and violations of the de facto regime, led by interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa in the al-Sumariya area of Damascus. This regime invaded homes and forcibly evacuated residents simply because they belonged to the Alawite sect," it stated. The statement further noted that authorities "ignored legal documents proving home ownership," brutally attacked, publicly humiliated, and hurled sectarian insults at residents, including assaulting women.

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Based on foreign reports and Israeli assessments, the raid was likely meant to counter the Syrian army's activity of trying to dismantle the installed Israeli listening devices. Six Syrian soldiers were killed in Israeli strikes on Wednesday in the same area after they attempted to dismantle the IDF's listening posts, according to reports.

Video: The alleged Israeli strikes in Syria on Wednesday August 28, 2025 (Credit: Social media)

In the al-Kiswah region, the Iranians have been active in recent years, establishing weapon and armament depots alongside the weapon depots of the Syrian army's 1st Division. Approximately two years ago, the Israeli Air Force struck Iranian targets in the region.

A pro-Syrian communication network that broadcasts from Turkey reported unusual IDF activity shortly before midnight, lasting for about two hours. The IDF, it said, conducted about 15 strikes in the Tel Manea and al-Kiswah area in the southern Damascus Governorate, where Syrian army headquarters were attacked, presumably to soften the area before IDF helicopters landed troops in the Sweida Governorate and in al-Kiswah.

The strikes by Israeli Air Force aircraft stopped Syrian forces from approaching the site where the listening equipment was located. The Al-Jazeera network also confirmed through its sources that IDF forces had landed in the al-Kiswah area.

According to assessments, the prolonged presence of the commandos on the ground was designed to gather documents and additional findings to better understand Iranian activities and intentions in the region.

Official Israel has not issued a formal response to the operation, but Minister of Defense Israel Katz boasted on the X network Thursday morning with a message that could be interpreted as a hint about the operation, stating, "Our forces are operating in all combat zones day and night for the security of Israel."

The operation is occurring against the backdrop of the continuing collapse of the Syrian regime and Israel's efforts to reinforce its strategic foothold in Syria, while preventing renewed Iranian entrenchment in the region.

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Video: Israel Hayom visits Mount Hermon's Syrian side / Text: Hanan Greenwood. Video: Yehonatan Shaul; Editing: Uri Stav

We stand at an abandoned Syrian military position, surrounded by equipment the former Syrian regime's soldiers left behind during their hasty retreat, positioned near the Commander vehicles of the Mounted Tactical Unit – the exclusive means of reaching this remote location. Standing at 9,232 feet (2,814 meters) above sea level represents the most distant point Israeli forces have ever achieved. This marks Israel's new frontier boundary. No obstacles prevented our continued advance. The distances tell the story – 81 miles (130 kilometers) to Beirut, 280 miles (450 kilometers) to Aleppo, 932 miles (1,500 kilometers) to Istanbul, and from there direct access to Europe. Southern Lebanon lies a short distance to our left; the Druze villages that recently suffered massacres spread to our right in the distance. We stand centrally positioned at this IDF-controlled outpost, maintaining the defensive perimeter.

Every Israeli schoolchild learns that Mount Hermon serves as "the nation's eyes." However, most Israelis fail to comprehend, even now, how dramatically small the area historically called "Israeli Hermon" appears compared to the massive Syrian-controlled ridge that dominated for decades. When fighters gazed toward Syrian Hermon from observation posts like Mitzpe Shelagim or Mount Hermon base, they witnessed an imposing wall of earth and stone. Yet even map consultation failed to reveal the truly strategic nature of what confronted them.

Standing at the precipice edge atop Hermon's summit, two phrases immediately surface – "strategic mountain ridge." Subsequent thoughts express burning questions about how we permitted ourselves to remain absent from this location since the Yom Kippur War. Something profound internally insists the IDF must never abandon this strategic position again. The security establishment clearly grasps this reality; despite theoretical or official temporary presence, consolidation efforts proceed at unprecedented speed.

"No vehicles have traversed this terrain"

We arrived at Camp Ar'ar one hour prior, home base of the Mountain Brigade. Established approximately one year ago, the unit specializes in mountain combat and extreme weather operations. Mount Hermon facility gates stood deserted during our passage, with thermometers registering 104°F (40°C). The expansive parking area, crowded during winter months, appeared abandoned, while large snow vehicles stood isolated beside the familiar snowman sculpture.

Command Sergeant Major (Res.) A. positioned himself beside the robust jeep, completely covered in protective gear. "Ready for departure?" he smiled through his face covering. We naively inquired about distance to our destination, assuming a ten-minute journey. "Prepare for one hour of dust," he responded with amusement. He was not kidding.

This wasn't my initial encounter with the IDF Mounted Tactical Unit. Last October, we documented the unit's operations when Commander Captain (Res.) Z guided me through high-speed maneuvers in Beit Lahia under anti-tank missile threats, mere hours following field combat. This specialized boutique unit emerged from wartime necessity, evolving from a niche Egyptian border solution into a genuine strategic asset across all IDF operational sectors.

Six months later, the unit ranks among the military's most coveted assignments, boasting operational records including special forces cooperation in Lebanon, wounded soldier evacuations and terrorist captures in Gaza, rocket and anti-tank missile detection in Syria, terrorist pursuits in Judea and Samaria, and trailblazing the ground route to Hermon's peak. Their vehicles literally access unreachable locations at speeds that leave observers in dust clouds, while dozens of fighters deployed nationwide – and beyond – enhance IDF superiority across multiple theaters. Operating under information security constraints, they revealed selected recent activities during our extended journey to Hermon's summit.

A. commands the unit's Hermon team. His war began entirely in Sinai when his father called from their Sderot home opposite the police station. "My father planned descending to the shelter with friends, but my dog refused to go down. He telephoned reporting people with strange headbands walking the streets and audible gunfire. I immediately recognized terrorists and forbade his descent. Had the dog cooperated before that phone call, my father wouldn't have survived."

Six hundred days later, A. – who works as a dock worker at Ashdod Port – continues reserve duty. Initially serving with Northern Brigade battalions in Gaza, he later discovered the MTU, completed training, and joined the unit. After spending eighteen months in the Strip, he received northern deployment. When asked why someone from Sderot living in Ashdod seeks Hermon service, he responds, "We are reserve soldiers and fighters who answer every national call. My beloved wife raises three sons at home, and we serve with tremendous pride and honor."

A. shared details of his participation in a complex Mount Dov operation that preserved lives. The mission involved extremely challenging terrain where D-9 bulldozers carved pathways followed immediately by MTU vehicles. "Our vehicles alone could descend into Lebanese Mount Dov sectors – terrain never before traversed by any vehicle. D-9 bulldozers led the route while we followed directly behind, navigating around craters and over boulder fields where wheel positioning awareness determines survival."

Something profound internally insists the IDF must never abandon this strategic position again. The security establishment clearly grasps this reality; despite theoretical or official temporary presence, consolidation efforts proceed at unprecedented speed.

Upon reaching their objective with the Mountain Brigade commander, they discovered the critical nature of their newly controlled position. "We located rockets, mortar rounds, and launchers targeting IDF positions we had recently departed. They intended harming our soldiers – the same personnel we had encountered minutes earlier. We discovered terror tunnels in areas accessible only to our units, eliminating the need for exhausting multi-hour treks across particularly demanding terrain."

Welcome to the Syrian side of the Hermon

Our vehicles accelerated forward, smoothing the winter-snow-covered asphalt route leading to established Mount Hermon outposts. Minutes later, asphalt yielded to dirt roads marked by brilliant red poles indicating cliff edges for vehicles navigating winter snow and dense fog conditions.

Yellow bulldozers displaying Druze and Israeli flags worked along the pathway, excavating mountainside sections and substantially improving road conditions as additional winter preparations. During late May's final week, despite Israel's heat, white snow remnants still marked the massive mountain. However, the IDF already races toward next winter's challenges, anticipated as far more demanding than anything experienced since 1967 in previously designated Israeli Hermon territory. "See those red barrels? That marks the border," A indicated without releasing the accelerator. "Welcome to Syrian Hermon."

MTU fighters spearheaded forces crossing into territory controlled by Syria for decades. MTU vehicles provided exclusive heavy snow passage capability. "These vehicles navigate snow conditions like sand dune travel," Captain (Res.) Z. explained. "We searched former Syrian regime outposts discovering extensive abandoned equipment, combat materials, and substantial explosive charges."

"Observe this mountainous region," A. points out. "You can access outposts within deep valleys and investigate ongoing activities. We recovered various intelligence materials from these positions. Syrian outpost lines represented the final barrier before Israel, yielding considerable intelligence revealing their knowledge about us."

Our journey proves lengthy and dust-filled across routes not yet accommodating all vehicle types. The lead Pajero driver suddenly halts, requesting power gear engagement. His vehicle struggles down a terrifying slope while our Commander vehicle proceeds smoothly, creating passenger compartment sensations resembling Ayalon highway travel.

Several kilometers ahead we reach our first destination – the outpost of Metzudat Ruach (Fortress of Wind). Approximately six months ago, the Israel Hayom team first visited this outpost, then representing the most distant civilian-accessible location. During peak winter conditions, fighters constructed this outpost manually atop Mount Hermon ridge peaks.

Multiple Hummers with fighters enter the outpost immediately behind us. This forward Mountain Brigade base enables IDF operations at winter peak altitudes of 9,186 feet (2,800 meters), enduring temperatures reaching -4°F (-20°C) amid snow conditions far exceeding upper cable car skiing experiences.

They forces returned from Druze villages situated at mountain base elevations, prompting our announcement of available blood units we have for them. Whether treating attacked Druze civilians, as previously occurred, or addressing IDF fighter injuries, blood unit availability provides immediate response capability, considering extended evacuation timeframes.

The outpost fighters execute multiple primary missions, including proactive offensive operations establishing ridge control while preventing enemy movement and weapons trafficking between Syria and Lebanon. Prior to the takeover of the Hermon summit, this area served smugglers of every variety, from mule-transported narcotics to Iranian precision rockets en route to Hezbollah on trucks.

An observation bench outside the outpost overlooks spectacular vistas. Quneitra appears distantly, considered relatively calm and secure, permitting regular journalist access. Two Syrian helmets rest on the bench, apparently discovered locally, while ground burn marks indicate barbecue activities. However, pastoral appearances deceive, as only operational activities occur during darkness hours in this threatened zone.

Makeshift burial ground

Our initial mission concluded, we advance northward deeper into the territory. A UN outpost appears to our right – among few surface-visible installations, since numerous Syrian outposts operate underground. Syrian winter survival methods remain unclear; fighter searches revealed extremely harsh living conditions, with non-survivors buried in nearby improvised cemeteries.

Within a small valley, we identify a particularly surprising remnant bearing tragic history – rotor remains from an Israeli Super Frelon helicopter that crashed in 1974 during wounded and deceased Israeli personnel recovery missions, remaining untouched for decades. Six fighters perished that horrific day.

Pathway construction continues here as well. Last winter, air force helicopters required parachuting supplies to alpine fighters maintaining area presence under severe conditions. The Mountain Brigade currently prepares for fighter area deployment through multiple means, including Fortress of Wind as a forward base and road route improvements. Israel Hayom learned that alpine units and brigade snow vehicle capabilities will expand significantly in coming months to address challenging sector weather conditions.

Our next objective is Outpost H-1, the most distant from Israeli territory. When journalists last reached this position, they traveled via helicopter and snow vehicles during the defense minister's visit. One hour's drive from the upper cable car along complex routes, positioned extremely close to Syria's capital, this represents our most challenging point.

Hezbollah even documented one brigade commander operation. "We rapidly reached the area executing specific missions. Following operations, we suddenly observed our own Telegram videos filmed by Hezbollah. They couldn't comprehend our vehicles – questioning who these personnel were racing through terrain at high speeds before disappearing."

This outpost utilizes Syrian construction of notably poor quality. Fighter entry revealed Russian combat equipment alongside Syrian materials. During winter months, alpine fighters operated from this position against hostile elements. Recent attempts by various elements to control outposts situated slightly north of H-1 within Syria continue, requiring constant IDF action for their removal. This strategic border location between Syria and Lebanon serves dual purposes as a critical smuggling corridor and enemy crossing point. Until eighteen months ago, this location played central roles in Iranian strategies creating fire rings around Israel.

Presidential palace halfway point

Our Commander vehicles advance beyond the 1974-established separation of forces line, normally blocked to standard vehicles. The jeeps easily navigate past roadblocks, reaching an abandoned Syrian position along deteriorating asphalt routes.

This well-mapped route buffers Syria and Lebanon. Damascus city lies approximately 12.4 miles (20 kilometers) directly from our position. Nineteen miles (30 kilometers) of mountainous challenging roadway separate us from Highway 1 leading to Syria's capital. Looking at the horizon gives you a sense as to why this location bears strategic significance and how it gives Israel direct Hermon access into Lebanon and Syria. One hour's travel from our final Israeli outpost will bring you to Qasr al-Shaab, the Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's residence – a shorter journey than returning to Mount Hermon facility parking.

Sergeant Major S. is from a specialized ATV unit fighter with merely two months' experience. As a veteran of the elite Egoz unit, he understands northern combat well, yet describes this activity as completely different. "Syria represents an entirely new world. Upon first entering Druze villages, I was amazed discovering their lifestyle remained 70 years behind current times. I never anticipated participating in such operations, collaborating with alpine fighters and additional special units."

A describes occasional high-risk operations, though their critical necessity remains clear. "Brigade Commander L. shared an unforgettable statement – 'I want to participate in all operations exclusively with your unit.' We collaborated with numerous special units throughout this region. We entered former regime outposts discovering notebooks and binders containing significant intelligence on Israel. You realize you have thwarted a plot that had been hatched here, something major, successfully saving young soldiers' lives. Who would have thought I'd participate in such activities? The sensation feels incredible."

Hezbollah even documented one brigade commander operation. "We rapidly reached the area executing specific missions. Following operations, we suddenly observed our own Telegram videos filmed by Hezbollah. They couldn't comprehend our vehicles – the terrorist group wondered who these personnel were and why they were racing through terrain at high speeds before disappearing."

One hour's travel from our final Israeli outpost will bring you to Qasr al-Shaab, the Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's residence – a shorter journey than returning to Mount Hermon facility parking.

"We're making history here," Captain (Res.) Z. stated. "Months ago, suggestions of positioning ourselves at Hermon's crown, 12.4 miles (20 kilometers) from Damascus as the crow flies, would have seemed dreamlike. This extremely strategic location benefits Israeli national security. Our vehicles served as full partners in Hermon capture, generating tremendous pride. These vehicles transported the brigade commander who raised Israel's flag atop Hermon's summit. Each entry here renews my excitement over this significant achievement."

Above the western Lebanese Chouf mountains, sunset commences, signaling our departure time. Just 31 miles (50 kilometers) beyond mountain ridges lies Sidon, deep within Lebanese territory, approached through Bekaa and Nabatieh districts where air force aircraft operate almost daily, conducting attacks and bombardments preventing Hezbollah's rehabilitation.

The ATVs thunder toward the upper cable car return journey as dust clouds swirl around us, momentarily concealing spectacular landscapes harboring some of Israel's most bitter enemies. "We now exercise much stronger territorial control, securing it so that we can prevent the next October 7," Z. concluded.

The Syrian capital recedes behind us along with persistent questions – will this border line protect Israel from terror and Iranian threats for coming decades, or do forgotten Damascus hummus dreams approach realization? Time provides answers. Setting sun illuminates golden colors across the massive Israeli flag illustration painted on the Syrian outpost – correction, the Israeli installation – as we continue southward. I glance backward momentarily, observing Israel's new frontier, two fingers from Damascus.

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The materials arrived in Israel at an emotionally significant and symbolic time – approaching the 60th anniversary of Cohen's execution on May 18, 1965, in Damascus's main Al-Marjeh Square.

During a special meeting held Sunday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mossad Director Dadi Barnea, Eli Cohen's widow, Nadia Cohen, was presented with several original documents and personal belongings recovered from Syria. Among the documents was the original will written by Eli Cohen just hours before his execution – until now, only a copy had ever been publicly revealed.

The exceptional archive includes approximately 2,500 documents, photographs, and original personal items, most being revealed for the first time. Syrian intelligence collected these materials following Cohen's capture in January 1965. The collection includes recordings and documentation from his investigation files and those of individuals with whom he maintained contact, handwritten letters to his family in Israel, photographs documenting his operational mission in Syria, and personal belongings seized from his residence after his capture.

Video: Eli Cohen's personal items retrieved / Credit: PMO

The recovery of these historic materials represents the culmination of decades of work by intelligence, operational, and technological elements within the Mossad to locate any information about Eli Cohen in attempts to illuminate his fate and burial location.

Heartbreaking...From Eli Cohen's letter to his wife Nadia:
To my dear wife Nadia and my family, I am writing you my last words and asking you to always maintain contact between you. I ask you, Nadia, to forgive me and to take care of yourself and the children. Take care of… https://t.co/zPGTQPcsal pic.twitter.com/KOApexwcyq

— Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) May 18, 2025

Throughout the years, the Mossad has collaborated with partners in intelligence and security communities in Israel and worldwide, implementing dozens of activities and operations, including in enemy states.

The personal belongings recovered include keys to his Damascus apartment, forged passports and identification documents he utilized, and numerous photographs from his covert period in Syria, including images of Eli Cohen with senior Syrian military and government officials. Moreover, among the extensive records found in notebooks and diaries collected from his home by Syrian intelligence were secret missions he received from the Mossad, including instructions to surveil a target and gather intelligence on Syrian military bases in Quneitra.

The original document containing the verdict and execution order was also discovered among the many documents. In this document, the court permitted the head of the Jewish community in Damascus, Rabbi Nissim Andabo, to accompany Eli Cohen according to Jewish tradition.

Among the numerous files located in the archive was a thick orange file labeled "Nadia Cohen." Examination of this file revealed that Syrian intelligence monitored all activities Mrs. Cohen undertook advocating for her husband's release from Syrian prison, including numerous letters she sent to world leaders and the Syrian president appealing for his freedom.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "Eli Cohen is a legend. With the perspective of time, he has proven to be the greatest intelligence agent in the history of the state, whose courage and activities contributed to the historic victory in the Six-Day War. Eli Cohen's archive, brought back through special effort, will educate generations and expresses our unwavering commitment to return all our missing, captured, and kidnapped people."

Mossad Director Dadi Barnea said, "Recovering this archive represents a significant achievement with first-rate moral and ethical value, and another step in advancing the investigation to locate the burial place of our man in Damascus. This important mission remains before us, and we are committed to continuing to do everything within our power to fulfill it. We will continue working to locate and return all the missing, fallen, and kidnapped – the living for rehabilitation and the fallen for eternal rest in an Israeli grave."

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Syrian opposition forces have captured the village of Deir Hafer east of Aleppo, Arab media outlets reported overnight Saturday. The northern Syrian city is largely under rebel control, with the remaining portion held by Kurdish forces. Further south, opposition forces have reached the northern outskirts of Hama.

Simultaneously, developments are unfolding in southern Syria. Al-Arabi channel broadcast footage of demonstrations in the Damascus area supporting the operations of Islamic rebels. Pro-opposition protests were also documented in the southern city of Daraa, where demonstrations against the Assad regime have been ongoing for several months.

Opposition sources in the Daraa region told Al-Arabi Al-Jadid newspaper that rebel infrastructure is already in place there. According to these sources, the goal is to conduct a "pincer movement from south and north" to attack the capital, Damascus. Reports indicated that the capital witnessed military deployments by Assad regime forces. A local website in Daraa also reported that local factions plan to conduct military operations against Assad army checkpoints in southern Syria.

Video: Syrian opposition soldiers play soccar with a statue head of Hafez Assad / Credit: Arab social media

A Syrian source close to the opposition emphasized that, unlike in the past, operations in the south and north will have a higher level of coordination. "The Assad regime is in a weak position, as are its operators. This is a golden opportunity for Syrians. Syria cannot become a developed country unless this tyrannical regime is removed," the source said.

In northern Syria, the rebels' operations department announced they had taken control of Aleppo and the entire Idlib governorate and succeeded in blocking the road between Aleppo and Raqqa (an eastern provincial city and another key stronghold).

Video: Syrian opposition takes over airfield / Credit: Arab social media

Despite the rebels' operational successes, the Russians are not abandoning the Assad regime at this point. During the night, Russian fighter jets conducted strikes in the northern Idlib governorate, the main stronghold of the Syrian opposition.

Syrian President Bashar Assad, who returned to Damascus over the weekend, declared yesterday that "Syria is capable, with the help of its allies, of defeating the terrorists. No matter how much their attacks have intensified." In a conversation with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, Assad said, "Syria will continue to defend its stability and territorial integrity against all terrorists and their supporters." Assad also spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who expressed readiness to assist the Syrian regime.

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Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Wednesday that Israel "must be punished and it shall be" for attacking the Iranian embassy compound in Syria.

In a major escalation of Israel's war with regional adversaries, alleged Israeli warplanes bombed Iran's consulate in the Syrian capital on April 1 in a strike that Iran said killed seven military advisers.

"When they attack the consulate, it is as if they have attacked our soil," Khamenei said in a speech marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. "The evil regime made a mistake and must be punished and it shall be," he added.

In an apparent response to Khamenei, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Israel will respond if Iran attacks Israel from its own soil. "If Iran attacks from its own territory, Israel will respond and attack in Iran," Katz said in post on the social media platform X.

Iran backs groups that have entered the fray across the region since Israel launched its invasion of Gaza following the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel by Hamas.

The Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah group has exchanged fire on a daily basis with Israel, while Iraqi groups have fired on US forces in Syria and Iraq and the Houthis of Yemen have targeted shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

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