The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) on Thursday denied claims that 40,000 Iran-backed militiamen had entered the Golan Heights from the Syrian borders. Israeli army officials had claimed a day earlier that Iran was moving troops into Lebanon, according to a Haaretz report.
Some Israeli media outlets reported that around 40,000 fighters had entered the occupied Syrian Golan Heights originating from Iraq, Syria and Yemen, including thousands of Houthi fighters who were said to have entered from Jordan. However, Jordan is reported to be strictly monitoring and guarding its borders, preventing any infiltration, even by “drug” smugglers.
The Observatory also monitored the entry of around 100 elements from Iran-backed militias from Iraq, aimed at replacing the forces present in Syria, which undermines the idea of a mass influx of fighters.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps commands an army in various Syrian regions consisting of 65,000 fighters of various nationalities.
SOHR confirmed in June that there were no signs of the presence of Hezbollah elements near the Syrian-Lebanese border and the occupied Syrian Golan. This is due to the Lebanese group’s efforts to avoid Israeli strikes, as it removed its flags from the headquarters and areas it controlled.
According to recent estimates, Iran-backed forces operating East of the Euphrates river are comprised of 29,000 fighters. Among them are 11,000 Syrian fighters with the remaining 18,000 fighters being of Asian and Arab nationalities.
In southern Syria, the number of forces is estimated to be around 11,500 fighters, which are stationed in several key areas, located north of Daraa province.
In the capital Damascus and its countryside, they are spread over large areas, with an estimated 10,200 fighters of both Syria and non-Syrian nationalities.
In Aleppo province, the number of Iran-aligned fighters and recruits is around 8,350.
In Homs and its countryside, as well as the Badias (deserts) of Hama and Raqqa, Iranian militias number around 4,800 fighters of Syrian and other Arab and Asian nationalities.
In Idlib province, which is a hotbed of conflict, the number of fighters is estimated at over 900, consisting of fighters from Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities. Although Idlib is a stronghold for other opposition factions, the Iranian presence in this area adds to the military balance in the ongoing conflict.
In Al-Hasakah province, the number of Iran-affiliateed recruits has reached about 800 people. These recruits include 390 elements from the National Defense Forces and 410 civilians and members of tribes such as the Al-Ubayd, Yasar, Harith, Bani Sabaa, and Al-Sharayeen tribes.
These figures underscore the size and spread of Iranian-controlled fighters in Syria.
