Three Israelis illegally entered Syria, were expelled by the IDF

Three Israelis, activists of the 'Halutzei HaBashan' movement, illegally crossed into Syria on the night of August 11 and attempted to set up camp. The IDF detected them and returned them to Israel, handing them over to police. The group published a video of setting up a canopy. The movement denies crossing the border, but the video suggests otherwise. The IDF warns of a security threat.

On the night of August 11, three Israelis, activists of the right-wing settlement movement 'Halutzei HaBashan', illegally entered Syrian territory near Mount Hermon and attempted to set up camp. IDF forces detected them and returned them to Israel, handing them over to police around 9 a.m. The group, including a minor, published a video showing them installing a canopy on Syrian territory; later, the military dismantled the canopy. The movement stated that contact with the activists was lost after 01:00 when the IDF arrived and detained them, and that phones were confiscated, and they allegedly did not cross the border, but their own video suggests otherwise. 'Halutzei HaBashan' is a right-wing settlement movement founded in April 2025, aiming to establish Jewish settlements and effectively seize the Hermon area and southern Syria, which activists call Bashan. The core of the movement consists of people from the Golan Heights and activists from settlement outposts in Judea and Samaria, with many young people and minors among participants. The movement is not a state structure; some of its actions occur despite army and police prohibitions. Its ideology is radical: activists believe that military presence is insufficient and security should be ensured by permanent Jewish civilian presence. The movement stated: 'Arrests and other forms of resistance will not stop these heroes,' while the IDF warns that such actions pose a security threat and distract soldiers from the enemy. The army notes an increase in such infiltrations and reports that activists systematically destroy border infrastructure, using power tools to cut the fence. Sources report that in most cases activists do not resist, but there have been aggressive incidents.