According to reports, fighters from the elite Shaldag Unit secured the strategic summit as part of an operation to bolster the Israeli military’s control in the area. The peak offers a commanding view and firing range over other ridges of Mount Hermon, making it a critical asset for observation and defense.
“This is a historic day in the annals of the Middle East,” Netanyahu declared. “The Assad regime is a central link in Iran’s axis of evil, and this regime has fallen. This is a direct result of the blows we delivered to Iran and Hezbollah, the primary supporters of Assad’s regime. This has created a chain reaction throughout the Middle East among those seeking to free themselves from this oppressive and tyrannical regime.”
Netanyahu added that while the developments present significant opportunities for Israel, they are not without risks. “We are first and foremost acting to secure our borders. This area was defined for nearly 50 years as a buffer zone under the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, which has now collapsed. Syrian forces have abandoned their posts.”
He stated: “Together with the defense minister, and with full backing from the cabinet, I instructed the IDF yesterday to take control of the buffer zone and the nearby dominant positions. We will not allow any hostile force to establish a presence on our border. At the same time, we are pursuing a policy of good neighborliness, the same approach we maintained when we set up a field hospital here that treated thousands of Syrians injured during the civil war. Hundreds of Syrian children were born here in Israel.”
In response to the escalating conflict, the IDF announced Sunday that it had reinforced its presence in the demilitarized buffer zone near the Golan Heights to prevent potential incursions into Israeli territory. “The IDF is not intervening in the events in Syria but will act as necessary to protect the State of Israel and its citizens,” the army said in a statement.
Security sources in Lebanon reported that Hezbollah, a key ally of the ousted Assad regime, has withdrawn its forces from Syria. Syrian military sources told Reuters that Hezbollah troops evacuated from al-Qusayr, a strategic city in Homs province, shortly before it fell to rebel forces.
At least 150 armored vehicles carrying hundreds of Hezbollah fighters reportedly left al-Qusayr in stages. The city, which Hezbollah had controlled since 2013, served as a key route for the movement of weapons and fighters between Syria and Lebanon.
The developments highlight growing instability in southern Syria, with Israel appearing to intensify its efforts to neutralize security threats in the region as the conflict in Syria evolves.