Russian military unexpectedly withdrew its forces from one of the key positions in southern Syria – the heights of Tel Hara in Daraa province, without explaining the reasons for such a decision. This was reported by Syrian media on Monday evening. As part of this maneuver, Russian forces also removed their equipment and lowered the Russian flag from the facility, leaving control of the position to the Syrian army, StepNews reports.

The move comes amid recent Israeli military activity in the Golan Heights, which borders Syria's Quneitra province. According to local sources, there has been a significant buildup of Israeli tanks and military equipment in the area.

According to the Daraa24 website, the Russian position at Tel Hara has been completely evacuated, although Russian forces still remain nearby in the village of Zumrein. Tel Hara is one of the most important checkpoints in Syria and is a strategically important position due to its high location, which allows surveillance of the country's southern borders near the Israeli border. Sources also note that Iranian military units are present at the base and many of the personnel must speak Hebrew.