Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes late Tuesday, targeting military sites near Damascus and in southern Syria.
The strikes hit locations in Kiswah, south of the capital, as well as in Deraa province, according to local Syrian reports.
Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, acknowledged the attacks and issued a stern warning, stating that Israel “will not allow southern Syria to become southern Lebanon.”
He further emphasized that “any attempt by the Syrian regime forces and the country’s terrorist organisations to establish themselves in the security zone in southern Syria will be met with fire.”
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, had previously called for the full demilitarization of southern Syria.
Following the collapse of the Assad regime on December 8, led by a rebel offensive spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Israeli forces moved into the UN buffer zone between Syria and Israel. Despite protests from Syria’s newly formed government and the UN, Israeli troops have remained stationed there.
In the aftermath of Assad’s fall, Israel intensified its aerial campaign, striking weapons depots, naval bases, and military facilities in Syria to prevent arms from falling into rebel hands.
These operations had largely subsided since the beginning of the year, but Tuesday’s strikes mark a return to Israel’s military actions in the region.
Earlier the same day, Syria denounced Israel’s presence in the buffer zone and demanded an immediate withdrawal.
The statement was issued at the conclusion of a national dialogue conference, where activists and political leaders discussed Syria’s transition in the post-Assad era.
Despite its condemnation, Syria’s new government has yet to confront Israeli forces directly. After more than a decade of civil war, the country is still in the process of rebuilding its military, leaving it in no position for a confrontation with Israel’s well-equipped army.
While Syria officially disbanded all military factions on January 29, efforts to consolidate its armed forces remain incomplete.
The defense ministry continues to grapple with integrating tens of thousands of former rebel fighters into a unified national army.
Before Assad’s downfall, Israel conducted periodic strikes in Syria, often targeting Iranian military positions and Hezbollah arms transfers.
With Iranian-backed forces withdrawing from Syria ahead of Assad’s fall, Israel has turned its attention to the country’s new leadership. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar expressed deep distrust, labeling Syria’s new rulers a “jihadist, Islamist terror group” on Monday.
