Israel To Maintain Indefinite Military Presence in Southern Syria, Warns Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Sunday that Israel will not allow Syria’s new army or Hayat Tahrir al-Sham—the insurgent group behind the ouster of former President Bashar Assad—to enter the area south of Damascus. Speaking at a military graduation, Netanyahu warned that Israeli forces would remain in parts of southern Syria indefinitely to prevent hostile elements from establishing a presence.
“Take note: We will not allow HTS forces or the new Syrian army to enter the area south of Damascus,” Netanyahu stated. “We demand the complete demilitarization of southern Syria in the provinces of Quneitra, Daraa, and Suwayda from the forces of the new regime. Likewise, we will not tolerate any threat to the Druze community in southern Syria.”
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Defense Minister Israel Katz added that Israeli troops will continue to man positions on the peak of Mount Hermon and in a buffer zone, established following Israel’s seizure of the UN-patrolled area after the fall of Assad last December. “Our forces will remain here for an indefinite period to protect our communities and thwart any threat,” Katz said, noting that two posts have been built on Mount Hermon and seven additional posts are in the buffer zone.
The new comments have raised fresh concerns over Israel’s long-term military presence in southern Syria, even as Damascus’ new authorities work to consolidate control after years of civil war. Syrian authorities have yet to respond to Netanyahu’s remarks, while UN officials and Syria’s new administration have called for an Israeli withdrawal from the buffer zone established under a 1974 ceasefire agreement.
Netanyahu’s government has faced mounting pressure to secure Israel’s northern borders and protect local communities, particularly the Druze population residing in southern Syria. Katz stressed that Israeli forces “will not allow hostile forces to establish themselves in the security zone from here to Damascus, and we will act against any threat.”
