‘The Ceasefire Was Achieved Through Force,’ Says Netanyahu After Syrian Operation
On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed major military operations in Syria and pledged to take further action if two key security lines are crossed again.
The strikes targeted Syrian regime forces after what Netanyahu described as violations by the government of Ahmed al-Sharaa, who he accused of deploying troops into a demilitarized zone near the Israeli border and attacking members of the Druze community in southern Syria.
“We have set a clear policy,” Netanyahu said in a video address. “Demilitarizing the area south of Damascus, from the Golan Heights to the Druze mountains, is one [red] line. The second line [is] protecting the brothers of our brothers, the Druze in the Druze mountains.”
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Netanyahu claimed that Syrian forces advanced south of Damascus into an area previously designated to remain free of military presence, while simultaneously targeting the Druze population in Jabal al-Druze.
He said Israel responded with force, which he claimed led to a Syrian ceasefire and withdrawal. “The ceasefire … was achieved through force. Not through requests, not through pleas, through force,” he said. “We acted, and we will continue to act as necessary.”
Tensions in southern Syria have intensified in recent weeks, as regional actors, including Iran-backed armed groups, continue to test the limits of Israeli deterrence. Israel has repeatedly launched airstrikes in Syria over the past decade, often citing Iranian entrenchment and threats to northern Israeli communities.
Israel views the protection of the Druze minority, many of whom share close cultural and familial ties with Druze citizens of Israel, as a key strategic and moral obligation.
