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Absolute Control: from Mount Hermon to the Yarmouk: Netanyahu Affirms Continued Israeli Military Presence Inside Syria
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conducted a field visit today to the summit of Mount Hermon inside Syrian territory, accompanied by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz. The visit is the first of its kind at this level in the area and comes amid continued Israeli military incursions deep into Syrian territory.
During the visit, Netanyahu announced that Israel had established what he described as “absolute control” over the area extending from Mount Hermon to the Yarmouk River and the Mediterranean Sea, considering this one of Israel’s most significant achievements during the war. He also stressed that Israel “will not allow any army to deploy along its borders,” reaffirming his government’s commitment to continuing pressure to end what he called the “Iranian axis.”
The statements come as Israeli military operations and incursions continue in parts of Quneitra and Daraa governorates, where Israeli forces have established new military positions and outposts. This has raised growing concerns among residents about the continuation of the military expansion and its repercussions for the region’s stability.
Amid the absence of any indications of an imminent Israeli withdrawal from the areas into which its forces have advanced, concerns and questions are mounting over the future of the Israeli military presence inside Syrian territory.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, for its part, renewed its call for the international community and the United Nations to assume their responsibilities, work to halt violations inside Syria, ensure respect for international law, and protect civilians. It also stressed the need for serious and transparent investigations and for those responsible for the violations to be held accountable, in order to ensure justice and prevent perpetrators of crimes from escaping punishment.
