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Israeli Defense Minister in Southern Syria: No Withdrawal from “Security Zones” While Threats Persist
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz conducted a field tour of areas in southern Syria amid escalating military tensions and growing concerns over regional influence in the area.
Speaking from southern Syria, Katz affirmed that Israel remains committed to maintaining its presence on Mount Hermon and in the areas it refers to as “security zones” inside Syrian territory. He stressed that the presence would continue as long as security threats against Israel persisted.
Katz also said that Israel had carried out preemptive military operations to curb attempts by Türkiye to establish a foothold in Syria, describing such a presence as a direct threat to Israel’s strategic interests.
The tour followed a series of Israeli airstrikes targeting sites in southern Syria, as well as an attack on the Abu al-Duhur military airbase in the countryside of Idlib. Tel Aviv said the strikes were aimed at preventing Turkish forces from establishing positions at these sensitive locations.
Diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation have taken place alongside these developments. On Sunday, the Jordanian capital, Amman, hosted talks between Syrian and Israeli representatives under U.S. mediation. The discussions focused on reducing Israeli military operations and reviving security coordination channels.
Damascus, meanwhile, insists that Israeli forces withdraw to the positions they held before December 2024 and fully comply with the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement. Israel, which strengthened its positions in the buffer zone following the fall of the Assad regime, maintains that its military operations are based on necessary “security considerations” aimed at protecting its borders.
