A rocket attack on a football pitch in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that killed at least 12 young people has sparked fears of a wider regional Middle East conflict.

Israel has retaliated against Lebanon-based Hezbollah, which it accused of carrying out the strike, while the Iran-backed militant group has denied any responsibility.

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The attack was the deadliest against Israel or Israeli-annexed territory since the massacre carried out by Hamas on 7 October that triggered the devastating war in Gaza.

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But why is the Golan Heights in the firing line and what is the significance of the 460sq mile (1,200sq km) rocky plateau in southwestern Syria that also overlooks Lebanon and borders Jordan?

Why is the area contentious?

The Golan Heights were part of Syria until 1967, when Israel captured most of the area during the Six Day War, before occupying it fully, annexing it and applying Israeli law to the area in 1981.

That unilateral annexation was not recognised internationally, and Syria demands the return of the territory.

Syria tried to regain the Heights in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, but was repelled.

Israel and Syria signed an armistice in 1974.

In 2000, Israel and Syria held their highest-level talks over a possible return of the Golan and a peace agreement, but the negotiations collapsed and subsequent talks also failed.

In 2019, the then US president Donald Trump officially recognised Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights – a move condemned by Syria.

What is the importance of the region to Israel?

Security.

Israel argues the ongoing civil war in Syria underlines the need to keep the plateau as a buffer zone between Israeli towns and its unstable neighbour.

It also says it fears Iran, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al Assad, is seeking to establish itself permanently on the Syrian side of the border in order to launch attacks on Israel.

In addition, the area’s water resources and fertile land are highly prized.

Syria insists the part of the Golan held by Israel remains occupied territory and has demanded its return.

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Who lives there?

More than 40,000 people live on the Golan. More than half of them are Druze Arabs.

After annexing the Golan, Israel gave them the option of citizenship, but most rejected it and still identify as Syrian.

About another 20,000 Israeli settlers also live there, many of them working in farming and tourism.

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What separates the two sides on the Golan?

United Nations peacekeepers have been in the Golan Heights since 1974 supervising a ceasefire between Israel and Syria.

Between Israel and Syria is a 155sq mile (400sq km) “Area of Separation” – often called a demilitarised zone – in which the two countries’ military forces are not permitted under the truce.

The 1974 agreement created an Alpha Line to the west of the area of separation, behind which Israeli military forces must remain, and a Bravo Line to the east behind which Syrian military forces must remain.

Extending 25 km beyond the “Area of Separation” on both sides is an “Area of Limitation” in which there are restrictions on the number of troops and kinds of weapons that both sides can have there.

There is one crossing point between the Israeli and Syrian sides.

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