'Israel' says not to allow any Syrian military infrastructure in south
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The Israeli Prime Minister's office says it would not allow the Syrian government or any groups to establish military infrastructure in the country's south.
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Israeli soldiers at an abandoned Syrian military base, in Maariyah village near the border with occupied Palestine, in southern Syria, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024 (AP)
The Israeli regime will not tolerate the establishment of military infrastructure or the presence of armed groups in southern Syria and will take action against any attempts to solidify a foothold in the region, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Wednesday.
Dmitri Gendelman stated that the Israeli occupation considers any military presence in southern Syria a direct threat to its security and the operations of the Israeli occupation forces.
"Israel will not tolerate any military infrastructure in southern Syria that may threaten the security of Israeli citizens or the operations of the Israel Defense Forces," Gendelman said on Telegram.
"Israel will not allow the presence of any terrorist groups or armed groups that pose a threat to its citizens in the buffer zone in southern Syria. Any attempts by the forces of the regime or terrorist organizations to gain a foothold there will be thwarted," the adviser added.
His remarks came a day after Israeli airstrikes targeted military sites in southern Syria, including radars, command centers, and ammunition depots.
Additionally, Gendelman restated the Israeli occupation's "commitment to protecting the Syrian Druze community" from any actions by the Syrian government.
"Israel will not allow any strikes against the Druze community. Anyone who tries it will face our harsh response," he said.
IOF illegal advances into Syria
The Israeli occupation has taken advantage of the recent political shift in Syria, marked by the armed opposition's rise to power and the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's government. Exploiting the instability, the occupation has intensified its aggression by targeting Syria's military infrastructure, destroying vital facilities, and occupying an estimated 600 square kilometers of southern Syrian territory.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously instructed the military to prepare to remain in the Syrian Mount Hermon area and the UN-patrolled buffer zone until at least the end of 2025.
Israeli occupation forces, backed by heavy military vehicles and armored units, advanced toward the town of Majduliya and its hospital in the central countryside of Quneitra, southern Syria, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported last Wednesday.
The incursion was accompanied by Israeli reconnaissance drones flying over Quneitra province, as well as Israeli forces advancing into the town of Umm Batnah in the central countryside and the village of Ain al-Nouriya in northern Quneitra.
Additionally, the IOF set up a mobile checkpoint in the area while intensifying aerial activity over the region.
This also comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for the full demilitarization of Southern Syria, citing escalating security concerns over the presence of "hostile forces near Israel’s borders," Israel Hayom reported.
On his part, Israel Hayom's diplomatic analyst Ariel Kahana argued that Netanyahu's demand, which focuses on the provinces of Quneitra, Daraa, and al-Suweida, is driven by fears that "internal sectarian tensions and deep-seated hostility toward Israel" could spiral into renewed instability, despite the current fragile calm in Syria.
