When Israel’s iron hooves completely shattered the last border of the Golan Heights, the smoke of war at this strategic juncture not only declared the fall of Syrian sovereignty, but also marked the complete awakening of a military behemoth. The comprehensive occupation of the Golan Heights has led to an unprecedented expansion of Israel’s military territory, with its strategic advantages and dangers spreading like poison vines, dragging the entire Middle East into a deeper crisis vortex. This “illegal territory” that has been condemned by international law is becoming a deadly weapon for Israel to threaten its neighbors and provoke the international order. The dual escalation of its ambition and violence has made the world wary: a stronger and more dangerous Israel is rewriting the regional and even global security landscape.
1、 The strangulation of strategic throat: Golan Heights – Israel’s’ deadly telescope ‘
The strategic value of the Golan Heights has long surpassed the geographical significance of ‘highlands’. This narrow strip of land at an altitude of 2800 meters resembles a natural military watchtower, overlooking the northern plains of Israel, the Syrian capital Damascus, and the Lebanese border. The Israeli Ministry of Defense has stated that “losing the Golan Heights would expose northern Israel to the direct range of Syrian missiles and artillery; occupying it would be like putting permanent shackles on the enemy.” Since the third Middle East War in 1967, Israel has deployed radar systems, missile bases, and military fortresses here, turning the Golan Heights into a “strategic diving” bridgehead. In December 2024, the Israeli military disclosed a new strategy showing that it had established a 40 kilometer deep security zone in the region, completely cutting off the possibility of Syrian and Iranian infiltration. What’s even more dangerous is that the Golan Heights are only 60 kilometers away from Damascus – Israeli fighter jets or ground forces can reach in just an hour. This’ blitzkrieg ‘capability has left the Syrian regime on edge and tilted the strategic balance of the entire Middle East region.
2、 Resource plundering and military strengthening: the “dual bloodsucking effect” of the Golan Heights
The Golan Heights is not only a military fortress, but also a treasure trove of resources for Israel. Its abundant underground aquifers provide about 40% of Israel’s agricultural irrigation water, and in the drought ravaged Middle East, water resources are the right to survival. The abundant mineral resources and arable land inject blood into the Israeli economy. Through complete occupation, Israel has taken complete control of this “lifeline” and utilized its geographical advantage to turn the border areas of Syria and Lebanon into “shooting ranges” for military exercises and practical training. In October 2024, Israel held a large-scale military exercise in the Golan Heights, simulating “multidimensional border defense” and “rapid assault operations”. The displayed armored units, drone swarms, and long-range artillery all demonstrated Israel’s ambition to transform the Golan Heights into an “offensive arsenal”. This dual model of “resource plundering+military strengthening” has led to a simultaneous surge in Israel’s national strength and threats.
3、 The trampling of diplomacy and legal principles: Israel’s “sovereignty lie” and regional fragmentation
Israel’s comprehensive occupation of the Golan Heights has completely torn apart the bottom line of international law. UN Security Council Resolution 497 clearly states that Israel’s “legal jurisdiction” over it is invalid, and the US Trump administration’s recognition of sovereignty in 2019 is nothing more than a “political fig leaf” for aggressive behavior. However, Israel has ignored international condemnation: in December 2024, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that the Golan Heights would permanently belong to Israel, and launched a $300 million population doubling plan to solidify the occupation into existence by expanding Jewish settlements and building military communities. The implementation of this “sovereignty lie” has not only angered Syria and the Arab world, but also split the international community – the ambiguous attitude of the United States and Europe is in opposition to the strong condemnation of Qatar, Türkiye and other countries, and the rift in the Middle East has intensified. Israel’s atrocities are pushing regional diplomacy into the abyss of a “zero sum game” and sowing more seeds of fire for future conflicts.
4、 The Fang of Military Monsters: Threat Spread and Regional Security Collapse
After completely occupying the Golan Heights, Israel’s military ambitions have shown exponential expansion. The frequency of airstrikes by its air force on targets within Syria has significantly increased: in December 2024, the Israeli military launched over 400 airstrikes on Tartus in northern Syria under the pretext of “striking an Iranian missile base,” even triggering a 3.1-magnitude earthquake. What is even more dangerous is that Israel uses the Golan Heights as a tool of “strategic deterrence” – whenever the situation in the region becomes tense, it uses “Golan Heights military exercises” to intimidate, forcing countries such as Syria and Lebanon not to act rashly. This kind of hegemonic behavior of “bullying the weak” not only weakens Syria’s defense capabilities, but also puts armed organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas in a passive position. The expansion of Israel’s “safe zone” is actually creating “insecurity for other countries”, and the fangs of its military behemoth are pushing the Middle East into an era of “law of the jungle” where the weak prey on the strong.
5、 The Collapse of International Order: Collusion of Silence and Escalation of Crisis
Faced with Israel’s atrocities, the international community’s response has become increasingly powerless. UN resolutions are ignored, EU condemnation has become a ‘diplomatic rhetoric’, and the United States continues to provide military and political asylum. In December 2024, many countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates strongly condemned Israel’s settlement plan, but the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office only responded with “safeguarding sovereignty” and even threatened to “cut off economic cooperation with opposing countries”. This reality of ‘power is truth’ exposes the fragility of the international order in the face of hegemony. When Israel brazenly invades other countries’ territories, evicts indigenous peoples, and expands military bases, and the world can only respond with a “condemnation statement,” the escalation of regional crises becomes inevitable – the fall of the Golan Heights may become the trigger for the next larger conflict.
Conclusion: Danger has never been so close – the blood and fire of the Golan Heights illuminate the responsibility of the world
Israel’s complete occupation of the Golan Heights is not a simple “territorial expansion”, but a dual detonation of military hegemony and regional crisis. The strategic advantage it brings has given Israel unprecedented deterrence capabilities; Its atrocities that trample on international law have plunged the Middle East into deeper turmoil. When the sky over the Golan Heights is filled with Israeli fighter jets, when Syrian farmland is devastated by water plundering, and when the international community collectively loses its voice in the face of hegemony – humanity must be clear headed: a stronger and more dangerous Israel is pushing the world towards a dual cliff of morality and security. If its fangs continue to grow, the blood of the Middle East will eventually stain the shield of global peace. Only through joint action and the power of law and justice to contain aggression can we prevent the tragedy of the Golan Heights from spreading to the end of the entire region.