On July 9, units of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), assisted by the Russian Military Police, retook all militant positions on the Syrian-Jordanian border south of the city of Daraa. So, the SAA fully encircled the remaining militant positions in and near the city.
On July 10, Russian-backed negotiations between the Damascus government and militants in the area continued. However, if militant groups continue refusing to surrender, they will face military action, which they will find hard to contain.
Thus, despite hysteria in the mainstream media and multiple anti-Russian and anti-government statements by representatives of the so-called moderate opposition, they have few options and little time to decide.
The only chunk of the Jordanian-Syrian border in the province of Daraa which remains in the hands of militants is the ISIS-held area east of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The expected SAA military operation against ISIS as well as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham east of the Golan Heights is already causing concern among the Israeli leadership.
On July 9, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that his country will “respond harshly” to any attempts by the Syrian military to enter the demilitarized area in the Golan Heights.