The IDF announced the 228th Brigade has concluded a three-month deployment in Syria and will be replaced by the 2nd Brigade, while the 98th Division Headquarters is being moved to the West Bank to strengthen security. During its Syria deployment, the 228th Brigade reported arrests, interrogations and the seizure of weapons including RPGs and Kalashnikovs. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa demanded an Israeli withdrawal; Defense Minister Israel Katz rejected the demand, reaffirming Israeli sovereignty over the Golan. The move follows recent West Bank incidents, including a car-ramming that seriously injured reservist Neria Leiter.
IDF Rotates Units in Syria; 98th Division HQ Deployed to West Bank After Spike in Attacks
IDF operating in Syria
The Israel Defense Forces announced on Wednesday that the 228th Brigade has completed its three-month deployment in the security zone inside Syria and will be replaced by forces from the 2nd Brigade. At the same time, the military said the 98th Division Headquarters will be relocated to the West Bank to bolster operations amid a recent rise in attacks.
Rotation and Activity in Syria
According to the IDF, troops from the 228th Brigade, which operates under the 210th Division, conducted a range of targeted missions during their rotation. Over the three-month deployment, soldiers said they questioned dozens of suspects, arrested several operatives, dismantled terrorist infrastructure, and uncovered multiple weapons caches, including rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), mortar rounds and Kalashnikov rifles.
Deployment to the West Bank
The military said the decision to move the 98th Division Headquarters to the West Bank is intended to strengthen both defensive and offensive capabilities in the area. Under orders from IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, the division will assume command of the Judea and Etzion regional brigades as part of an effort to respond to and prevent further attacks.
Recent Incidents
The relocation follows a series of incidents in the West Bank. On Wednesday, an IDF reservist, Neria Leiter—an American citizen and the son of Israel's ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter—was seriously injured in a car-ramming attack at the Maccabim (Bell) checkpoint on Route 443 near Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut.
Earlier the same day, reports said two Palestinians attempted to run over the owner of a farm in the Hebron Hills. The farm owner fired at the vehicle in accordance with the "suspect arrest procedure," wounding one of the assailants in the leg, local reports said.
IDF troops operating in Syria's security zone. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON UNIT)
Responses From Damascus and Jerusalem
The announcement coincided with public comments from Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who demanded the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the security zone. Al-Sharaa criticized Israeli operations, saying:
"There have been 500 airstrikes, more than 1,200 incursions, and 300 detentions. This is at odds with the global orientation we are seeing. It is reminiscent of an era that we thought was long gone. We are committed to the 1974 agreement; we call for the withdrawal of Israeli forces to the line of the 8 of December of 2024."
Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz rejected those demands, responding to remarks about the Golan Heights: "My clear response to the Syrian president, who made boastful declarations from the UN podium, is this: The Golan, under Israeli sovereignty, is an inseparable part of the State of Israel."
Context and Outlook
The IDF described both moves—the brigade rotation in Syria and the redeployment of the 98th Division HQ to the West Bank—as routine operational adjustments intended to maintain readiness and respond to evolving security threats. The military said the new West Bank posture will focus on preventing further attacks while preserving security for civilians and infrastructure.
Photo credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit
James Genn and Miriam Sela-Eitam contributed to this report.
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