Israel has taken control of territory on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Sunday. The operation, conducted in the wake of Bashar al-Assad's regime collapse, marks Israel's first territorial incursion into Syria since the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Israeli officials have framed the move as a temporary measure to stabilize security along the border while assessing the intentions of emerging Syrian factions.
"We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a visit to the border, accompanied by Defense Minister Israel Katz. Netanyahu described the fall of the Assad regime as both "a great opportunity" and a moment "fraught with significant dangers." He added, "We send a hand of peace to all those beyond our border in Syria. If we can establish neighborly relations and peaceful relations with the new forces emerging in Syria, that's our desire."
The Israeli operation comes after the rapid collapse of Assad's government, which saw rebel groups, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), overrun Damascus with little resistance. Assad fled to Moscow with his family, where he has reportedly been granted asylum by Russia. Israeli and U.S. officials confirmed that Israel had informed the Biden administration about the incursion in advance, assuring that the occupation would last only "a few days to a few weeks."
Israeli forces targeted multiple sites in Syria, including a strategic military outpost on Mount Hermon. Airstrikes were conducted on Syrian army air defense systems, chemical weapons facilities, and missile depots, Israeli officials said. Civilians in nearby villages were instructed to stay indoors as the strikes intensified. An Israeli official explained, "We have a responsibility to make sure strategic weapon systems don't fall into the wrong hands."
While the IDF has emphasized that the move is temporary, concerns remain about the long-term implications of Israel's actions in Syria. The buffer zone, established by the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement and monitored by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), has seen increased activity as rebel groups attacked at least four UNDOF positions in recent days. Israeli officials warned HTS and other factions that any violations of the Israeli-Syrian truce agreement would prompt further action.
The United States has also taken action amidst the Syrian crisis, with U.S. Central Command confirming precision airstrikes on ISIS targets in central Syria. "It is impossible not to place this week's offensive in the context of the decisions the President has made to fully back Israel against Iran and its proxy terrorist groups," a senior Biden administration official said.
Meanwhile, concerns about chemical weapons and other advanced munitions falling into the wrong hands have grown. Israeli media reported that the IDF had launched strikes on a chemical weapons depot near Damascus, though officials have not confirmed the report.
