Israel PM orders military to 'seize' Syria buffer zone
The Hindu
Israeli PM Netanyahu orders military to seize buffer zone on Syria border after Assad's overthrow, citing security concerns.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday (December 8, 2024) he had ordered the Israeli military to "seize" a demilitarised buffer zone on the border with Syria after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Damascus.
The Israeli premier said a 50-year-old "disengagement agreement" between the two countries had collapsed and "Syrian forces have abandoned their positions".
Syria war updates: December 8, 2024
As a result, he said, "I directed the IDF [military] yesterday to seize the buffer zone and the commanding positions nearby. We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border."
The announcement, which Mr. Netanyahu made while visiting the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights which abut the buffer zone, came after the military said it had deployed forces to the area.
Israel had already said the day before, as the Islamist-led rebels swiftly advanced across Syria, that its soldiers entered the UN-patrolled buffer zone to assist peacekeepers in repelling an attack.
On Sunday, the Army announced a troop deployment there, citing "the possible entry of armed individuals into the buffer zone".
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