The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are preparing for an indefinite stay in southern Syria, according to Defense Minister Israel Katz. During a visit to Mount Hermon, which overlooks the Israeli border and extends into Syrian territory, Katz emphasized the military’s commitment to maintaining a long-term presence in the region. This expansion follows the IDF’s increased deployment in December, which coincided with the ousting of former Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Katz stated that West Jerusalem aims to establish a security zone in the occupied Syrian territories and adjacent areas. The stated objective is to neutralize perceived threats to Israel’s national security and prevent other military forces from operating in the region.
“The IDF is prepared to stay in Syria for an unlimited amount of time. We will hold the security area in Hermon and make sure that all the security zone in southern Syria is demilitarized and clear of weapons and threats,”
Katz said during his visit.
Hillary Clinton email 23 July 2012: Israeli intelligence says collapse of Syria will spark a Sunni-Shiite war that will benefit Israel:https://t.co/mTlDB53Rfh pic.twitter.com/c3AfSLQ574
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) March 12, 2025
Israeli Military Bases and Operations in Southern Syria
Reports from the Times of Israel indicate that the IDF has established nine military bases in territories occupied since December, including two on Mount Hermon. The Israeli military reportedly considers a 15-kilometer-deep zone extending from the Golan Heights into southern Syria as a legitimate area of operations.
On Wednesday night, Katz claimed that the IDF had
“attacked more than 40 targets in southern Syria to implement the policy we announced.”
He added that the military presence is intended to deter threats posed by Syria’s transitional authorities and militant groups operating in the region.
In December, a coalition of armed groups led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), ex-ISIS and al-Qaeda, headed by Ahmed al-Sharaa al-Jolani, seized power in Syria. This shift prompted the IDF to move into the buffer zone between the Golan Heights and Syria, as well as further into Syrian territory. West Jerusalem has labeled Syria’s new authorities as
“polite jihadists”
and views them as a significant threat to its security.
🚨🇸🇾 Latakia, Syria
Thousands of Christian Syrians have fled to this airbase fearing for their lives as Jihadis continue to commit mass murder.
Here they are protected by Russian Soldiers.
Legacy Media will never report this. pic.twitter.com/4W58T8VEPq
— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) March 10, 2025
Syria’s transitional government has repeatedly called for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area, urging the deployment of United Nations forces instead. However, Israel has shown no signs of complying with these demands.
Israel first gained control of the Syrian Golan Heights in 1967 after defeating Syria and Egypt in the Six-Day War. Despite Damascus’s efforts to retake the strategic region during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, it remained under Israeli control. In 1981, West Jerusalem formally annexed the Golan Heights, a move that has never been internationally recognized.
The ongoing Israeli occupation of Syrian territory violates United Nations Security Council resolutions, which deem the annexation illegal. As Israel continues to expand its military presence into neighboring countries, tensions in the region are likely to escalate, potentially leading to further conflicts and military confrontations.
