The “Sufa 53” project, also known as the “Great Storm,” is an Israeli military-engineering project in the countryside of Quneitra in southern Syria. It is being carried out inside the buffer zone established by the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, along the occupied Golan Heights and in the area of operations of UNDOF. Work began in mid-2022 on the outskirts of Hadar and later expanded to the villages of Jabata al-Khashab, Hamidiyah, Qahtaniyah, Ruwaihinah, Bir Ajam, Barika and al-Asha, reaching the southern border triangle.
At the end of 2024, Israel resumed the work at an accelerated pace, taking advantage of the security vacuum following the fall of the Assad regime. Tel Aviv says its actions are motivated by “security considerations” and distrust of Syria’s transitional government, while researchers view the project as an attempt to entrench a unilateral new order on Syrian territory. Against this backdrop, Israel announced the collapse of the 1974 agreement and established control over Syria’s buffer zone, while Damascus insists that the agreement remain in force and demands the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
On October 4, 2026, Israeli forces resumed earthworks under the project near the village of al-Asha in the southern Quneitra countryside. At the same time, raids were reported in the villages of Saida al-Jolan and Abidin in western Daraa. Field observations showed Israeli machinery excavating and building earth embankments. The project includes a road approximately 8 meters wide, embankments up to 5 meters high, as well as observation posts and trenches along the route in the buffer zone near the occupied Golan Heights.
Israeli media describe the road as a first line of defense and attack in the event of a threat from Iran and groups affiliated with it. At the same time, the project’s implementation violates the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. According to the Sijil Center, Israeli forces have advanced 300 to 1,000 meters into the buffer zone and seized extensive agricultural areas. The project is therefore not merely an engineering undertaking, but also an attempt to alter the reality on the ground.
The loss of land has been particularly serious for residents of Jabata al-Khashab. According to sources, approximately 7,000 dunams have been confiscated for the project (one dunam is roughly 0.1 hectares). A local resident, Hassan Saad al-Din Ahmad, said that 16 dunams of his orchard had been taken, while a family close to him lost approximately 2,000 dunams. Ahmad Suleiman, the mayor of Hamidiyah, estimates the damage in the areas of Hamidiyah, al-Hurriyah, al-Rasumah, Abu Shabta and al-Fujayrah at approximately 6,000 dunams. Pastures and wild trees that served as sources of income for local residents have also been destroyed.
The work has also affected the central Quneitra countryside, particularly areas west of Qahtaniyah, Bir Ajam, Barika and Qudna, where Israeli machinery has been operating intermittently. Pastureland has also been damaged, including land belonging to Khaled Hussein al-Nasif west of Bir Ajam. According to Ruwaihinah’s mukhtar, Muhammad al-Ahmad, a significant portion of the land has been lost and access to it has been blocked. The main violations associated with “Sufa 53” are the undermining of the 1974 agreement, incursions into the buffer zone, and the demolition and destruction of vegetation, pastures, fruit trees and wild trees, depriving farmers and herders of their main sources of livelihood.
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What does the 1974 Disengagement Agreement between Israel and Syria provide for, and what restrictions does it impose on the presence of forces in the buffer zone? — The 1974 agreement was a military agreement on the disengagement of forces after the 1973 war, not a peace treaty. It provided for a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from some of the territories occupied in 1973, including Quneitra, the creation of a demilitarized zone of separation between the parties, and zones limiting forces and weaponry. Oversight was assigned to UNDOF. The presence of Israeli and Syrian armed forces is prohibited in the buffer zone; UNDOF observers and a civilian administration operate there, while restrictions on forces and weapons also apply to adjacent areas. The agreement does not resolve the issue of sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
What is UNDOF, and what tasks does this UN mission perform in the Golan Heights? — UNDOF, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, is a UN peacekeeping mission established in 1974 following the disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria. It monitors the ceasefire and the zone of separation, patrols the buffer zone, observes compliance with restrictions on forces and weapons in adjacent areas, investigates violations and maintains communication between the parties.
Who is a mukhtar in a Syrian village, and what role does he play in local administration and damage assessment? — A mukhtar is a village head or head of the local community—a traditional local leader recognized by the state. He acts as an intermediary between residents and the authorities, assists with civil documents and certificates, coordinates local affairs, and helps the authorities and humanitarian organizations assess damage and needs and distribute aid.
Full version: Sufa 53: An Israeli project advancing into the Quneitra countryside