Israeli forces to 'temporarily' remain in seized Syrian buffer zone

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited border security concerns for the deployment following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime and subsequent HTS takeover

Israeli forces will remain on Syrian territory seized following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday declared the deployment ‘temporary’, pending the establishment of a force capable of adhering to the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement. Netanyahu justified the operation as a response to the power vacuum left by Assad’s ouster, stating, “Israel will not permit jihadi groups to fill that vacuum and threaten Israeli communities on the Golan Heights with October 7th-style attacks.”

 

With no timeline provided for Israeli withdrawal, Netanyahu emphasised that the deployment would last until a reliable security arrangement was in place.

 

Israeli forces have established positions in a 155-square-mile demilitarised zone and beyond, marking Israel’s most extensive ground operation in Syria in decades. According to the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), over 350 airstrikes were conducted in the past 48 hours, targeting strategic weapons caches and Syrian naval assets. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed that Syria’s navy had been effectively destroyed during the strikes. 

 

According to a report by The New York Times, the Syrian opposition and private security firms suggest significant damage to Syrian military assets, including the destruction of at least six Soviet-era missile ships. 

Israel has justified these operations as part of its efforts to prevent advanced weaponry from falling into the hands of Islamist factions dominating the new Syrian political landscape.

 

Fall of Damascus and HTS takeover

After the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) quickly took control of Damascus. HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa pledged to prosecute former Assad officials for war crimes, and the group appointed Mohammed al-Bashir, who had previously governed the Idlib region, as Syria’s interim prime minister.

 

HTS then moved fast to establish a provisional government, meet with foreign representatives, and declare plans to crack down on any remaining Assad loyalists. However, their extremist views and militant background raised serious concerns among neighbouring countries, including Israel, who feared that the group’s rise could destabilise the region further.

 

In response to this growing threat, Israel increased its military presence in Syria, aiming to secure its northern border and prevent extremist groups from gaining more power. Israel’s actions marked a significant escalation in its efforts to protect its security, raising questions about the broader impact on regional stability.

 

The fall of Assad, who had ruled Syria for over fifty years, marked a major shift in geopolitics in West Asia. However, the rise of Islamist factions like HTS and Israel’s military actions have complicated the situation.