Netanyahu Warns New Syrian Government Against Military Presence Near Israeli Border

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stern warning to the new Syrian government on Sunday, stating that Israel will not tolerate any military presence south of Damascus, particularly in the Quneitra, Daraa, and Suwayda provinces, Al Jazeera reports.

The Prime Minister made the remarks during a military ceremony in Israel.

“We will not allow forces from the HTS organisation or the new Syrian army to enter the area south of Damascus,” Netanyahu declared, referencing Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group that led the offensive resulting in the ousting of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last December.

He also demanded “the full demilitarisation of southern Syria from troops of the new Syrian regime.”

Netanyahu also addressed the Druze community in Syria, particularly those residing in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, vowing that Israel would not accept any threats to their safety. The Druze are a religious minority present in several countries in the Middle East.

Israel’s actions have come under scrutiny following the fall of al-Assad, with critics accusing the country of exploiting the power vacuum to expand its influence into a buffer zone between the Golan Heights and southern Syria, a move that violates a 1974 UN-brokered ceasefire agreement. While some Druze in the occupied Golan Heights have refused Israeli citizenship, the majority of the Druze population within Israel supports the state and its citizens are conscripted into the military.

The Golan Heights, a territory largely occupied by Israel, was designated as a demilitarized buffer zone under the 1974 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Syria. However, since al-Assad’s fall, the Israeli military has allegedly moved into this zone, conducting numerous airstrikes on Syrian military assets.

Israel has consistently justified its attacks within Syria by claiming it is targeting Iranian military assets. However, Iran denies any current military presence in Syria. The new Syrian government has also stated it has no intention of engaging in conflict with Israel.

According to Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, Israeli forces have established two posts on Syria’s Mount Hermon and seven others in the buffer zone. Netanyahu reaffirmed that Israeli forces would maintain their presence on Mount Hermon and within the buffer zone in the occupied Golan Heights “for an indefinite period to protect our communities and thwart any threat.”