Israeli forces have set up military positions in Rakhlah, a strategic village about 20 km southwest of Damascus, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. According to Xinhua, the posts, established on August 21, overlook three key roads linking the Syrian capital with Lebanon’s Baalbek and Beirut.

The monitor said this gives Israel a major strategic advantage, placing its forces within artillery range of vital highways considered essential supply routes for Hezbollah. It suggested the move is part of Israel’s broader plan to encircle the group.

Syrian authorities have not commented, while Israel’s presence near Damascus signals a sharp escalation, Xinhua reported.