On July 7, 2025, the Israeli army arrested an Iran-linked terrorist cell from the IRGC Quds Force during a nighttime raid in Tel Qudsna, southern Syria — the second such operation in a week.

Axar.az reports that previous arrests on July 2 targeted similar Iranian-backed elements, uncovering weapons and grenades. The IDF’s Alexandroni Brigade remains deployed in the area to prevent terrorist entrenchment.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Netanyahu arrived in Washington to meet President Trump, focusing on the Gaza ceasefire, hostage return, and possibly relations with Damascus. Netanyahu supports demilitarizing southern Syria.

Since the Assad regime’s collapse in December, Israel has set up a field hospital near Hader, entered the 235 km² buffer zone to secure its borders, and launched airstrikes on Syrian and Iranian targets to prevent them from being seized by radicals. This marks the first IDF deployment in the demilitarized zone since the 1974 Yom Kippur War ceasefire, which Israel now considers void until stability returns to Syria.