IDF Declassifies Details of Colonel Ihsan Daxa's Covert Raids in Syria

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has revealed details of a significant covert operation codenamed "Date Gathering," conducted by units of the Golan Brigade (474) in Syria. The missions were led by Colonel Ihsan Daxa, who was killed two years ago in the Gaza Strip. According to the IDF spokesperson, the series of special raids took place from November 2021 to August 2023. Colonel Daxa himself initiated the offensive strategy, personally surveying the border area from Mount Hermon to settlements in the southern Golan Heights shortly after assuming command of the territorial brigade. Officers from his unit explained that during Syria's civil war, Syrian government army units had illegally established fortifications and observation posts in areas prohibited by existing force separation agreements. Daxa was determined to prevent the enemy's gradual entrenchment along Israel's security perimeter, believing that the weakness of the Bashar al-Assad regime presented an opportunity for decisive preemptive actions to neutralize future threats. The first raid in November 2021 destroyed Syrian outposts near the separation line. This initial phase evolved into a systematic, clandestine operation that penetrated deeper into Syrian territory. Israeli soldiers regularly crossed the border, setting up ambushes, and eliminating enemy military fortifications and surveillance infrastructure. Colleagues of the late colonel emphasized that these decisive raids were instrumental in pushing Syrian forces away from Israeli territory and reshaping the operational landscape on the northern front. Ihsan Daxa died on October 20, 2024, in the Jabalia camp in northern Gaza, while commanding the 401st Armored Brigade. Command officers noted that the declassified legacy of Colonel Daxa serves as a testament to his life principle: to shape reality through one's own actions rather than waiting for change.