Israel Deepening Control over South Syria; Air Force Attacking Weapons Depots

Israel’s political echelon is considering deepening IDF control within the Syrian Golan Heights to prevent rebel forces from entering the area. Kan11 reported Sunday that the cabinet unanimously approved the decision to seize the buffer zone and control points in the Golan Heights several kilometers beyond the border. According to a source familiar with the matter, a decision will be made later on whether to expand this area, “before someone else steps into the vacuum that was created.”

IDF enters Southern Syria pic.twitter.com/QOokRy8fD6

— Mossad Commentary (@MOSSADil) December 8, 2024

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and Golan Heights Regional Council Chairman Uri Kellner visited an observation point on Mt. Bental on the Golan Heights. Netanyahu recorded a statement saying:

“This is a historic day for the Middle East. The collapse of the Assad regime, the tyranny in Damascus, offers great opportunity but also is fraught with significant dangers. This collapse is the direct result of our forceful action against Hezbollah and Iran, Assad’s main supporters. It set off a chain reaction of all those who want to free themselves from this tyranny and its oppression. But it also means that we have to take action against possible threats. One of them is the collapse of the Separation of Forces Agreement from 1974 between Israel and Syria.

“This agreement held for 50 years. Last night, it collapsed. The Syrian army abandoned its positions. We gave the Israeli army the order to take over these positions to ensure that no hostile force embeds itself right next to the border of Israel. This is a temporary defensive position until a suitable arrangement is found. “

The Israeli operation was launched after the Syrian soldiers took off their uniforms and abandoned their posts, and therefore the arrival of IDF forces in the buffer zone in Syria and the Syrian side of Mount Hermon took place without resistance. The IDF said that there was coordination with all partners operating in the Syrian area, and it can be assessed that this was coordination with the US and Russia.

IDF Unit 5101, more commonly known as Shaldag (Kingfisher) on Sunday took over the Syrian side of Mt. Hermon, elevation 2,814 meters. / IDF

More than 100 targets in Syria were attacked by Air Force fighter jets immediately after the fall of the Assad regime: advanced surface-to-air missile systems, sites for the production and storage of surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, and air defense systems. These attacks were intended to allow Israel to continue to operate freely in the skies over Syria.

?IDF is striking Dara’a in southern Syria an hour ago pic.twitter.com/paBdmvr4HL

— Callmechina (@Callmechinas) December 9, 2024

Air force fighter jets attacked a Syrian base on Sunday afternoon, where the Assad regime held advanced weapons which Israel feared would fall into the hands of the rebels and endanger Israel in the future. The base and the defense systems around it were destroyed in the attacks.

The IDF confirmed the occupation of the Syrian side of Mount Hermon and said that the activity in Syria was intended to improve the defense positions on the border, out of fear that jihadist elements would reach Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights. This was after the rebels began to seize Syrian army positions along the Israeli border.

IDF activity continued through the night Monday, to seize additional points. Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the army to create a security space free of heavy strategic weapons and terrorist infrastructure in southern Syria beyond the buffer zone while establishing contact with the Druze population in the region and other populations.

At the same time, the DM instructed the IDF to “act immediately to prevent and thwart the renewal of the arms smuggling route from Iran to Lebanon through Syria, in Syrian territory and at border crossing points,” and to continue working to destroy heavy strategic weapons throughout Syria, including surface-to-air missiles, air defense systems, surface-to-surface missiles, cruise missiles, long-range rockets, and coastal missiles.