Israel has launched a punishing military response against Syria, conducting around 480 airstrikes across the country over two days, targeting strategic weapon stockpiles and destroying the Syrian fleet. The Israeli air force also struck several naval facilities, where dozens of sea-to-sea missiles were destroyed.
The operation began after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, which Israel views as a direct result of its actions against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the collapse of the Syrian regime as “a new and dramatic chapter” in his speech on Monday.
However, Israeli officials also fear what could come from radical Islamists governing Syria, which borders Israel in the occupied Golan Heights. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said that Israel’s goal is to prevent Syrian chemical weapons from falling into the hands of extremists.
The Israeli military has deployed ground troops beyond a 50-year-old demilitarized buffer zone, with reports suggesting they are operating as far as Beqaasem, just 25 kilometers from Damascus. The operation aims to create a “security zone free of heavy strategic weapons and terrorist infrastructures” in southern Syria.
Several Arab states have accused Israel of exploiting instability in Syria to execute a land grab. However, Israeli officials claim that their actions are limited and temporary measures to counter any further threat to its citizens.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/10/middleeast/israel-syria-assad-strikes-intl/index.html