The Israeli military has launched a military campaign in Syria under the name “Arrow of Bashan”, a title inspired by the Bible. During the operation, Israel has reportedly destroyed much of the Syrian military’s capabilities.
Opposition Forces Seize Damascus
In the early hours of Sunday, Syrian opposition factions entered the capital, Damascus, taking control after the withdrawal of regime forces from public institutions and streets. This marked the end of 61 years of Ba’ath Party rule and 53 years of the Assad family’s dominance.
Following the fall of the Syrian regime, Israel escalated its airstrikes, targeting military sites across Syria in what many consider a blatant violation of Syria’s sovereignty.
The Buffer Zone Takeover
Israel has also seized control of the Syrian buffer zone, which spans over 75 kilometers in length and varies in width from 200 meters in the south to 10 kilometers in the central region. This action was condemned by the United Nations and Arab states as a breach of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement between Israel and Syria.
During this operation, the Israeli military also secured strategic positions on Mount Hermon and destroyed approximately 80% of Syria’s military assets, including aircraft, helicopters, tanks, and naval vessels, according to Israeli military reports.
The Roots of “Arrow of Bashan”
The operation’s name, “Arrow of Bashan”, is steeped in biblical history, referring to a region located in southern Syria.
According to the Bible, Bashan was ruled by King Og, a descendant of the Rephaim (Canaanite giants)—an ancient Semitic people who inhabited the region as early as the 12th century BCE.
The Torah mentions:
“For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Rephaim; behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron. Is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its width, according to the cubit of a man.”(Deuteronomy 3:11)
This is not the first time the Israeli military has drawn names for its operations from biblical or Jewish religious traditions.
Biblical Inspiration in Israel’s Military Operations
A report published by Maariv, a Hebrew-language newspaper, in October 2024 noted Israel’s frequent use of biblical references in naming its military campaigns.
For example, the name “Operation Kadesh” during the 1956 Tripartite Aggression against Egypt was derived from a biblical city in Sinai where Miriam, the sister of Prophet Moses, is believed to have been buried during the Israelites’ wandering in the desert.
Israeli leaders have also often invoked religious narratives to frame modern military actions, particularly in conflicts with Palestinians.
Religious Justifications in Military Campaigns
In November 2023, just a month after the genocide in Gaza began, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referenced biblical verses at least three times in speeches to justify attacks on Gaza.
In one speech, Netanyahu told Israeli soldiers:
“Remember what Amalek did to you,” referencing the Amalekites, a nomadic tribe mentioned in the Bible who lived in the Sinai Peninsula and southern Palestine.
In Jewish culture, “Amalek” is symbolic of ultimate physical and spiritual evil, often used to justify aggressive actions against perceived enemies.
