For months now, Lebanon's Hezbollah has been working on beefing up its presence in southern Syria, according to interviews with its fighters. The militia appears to be operating quietly, however, to avoid inflaming the local population, namely the large, esoteric Druze community. 

According to Hezbollah sources, the Dec. 1 fall of the Beit Jin front to the Syrian army, backed by Hezbollah, put an end to the presence of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other rebel groups in that strategic area on the front line with Israel and appears to have calmed the situation in southern Syria, which is also covered by the US-Russian-brokered cease-fire signed July 7 and backed by Jordan. The deal aimed at de-escalating tensions amid increasing numbers of clashes between pro-regime militias and the Syrian opposition, as well as escalating strikes by Israel on Iranian interests in the region. Russian troops in charge of monitoring the cease-fire first deployed on July 17 in Daraa governorate.

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Syrian researcher Mazen Izzi said the de-escalation agreement applies essentially to Quneitra and Daraa in southern Syria, which also includes Sweida, Rif Dimashq Janoubi (southern, rural areas of Damascus) and western Ghouta.

“The de-escalation [agreement] has forced Hezbollah and the regime to position themselves 14 kilometers [9 miles] away from the last rebel positions, yet there are daily attacks by Israel on pro-regime positions and Hezbollah,” Izzi said.