Israel’s Strategy for a “Sterile Defense Zone” in Southern Syria Following Air Strikes

Israel plans to establish a “sterile defense zone” in southern Syria, which will be enforced without a permanent troop presence, according to Defence Minister Israel Katz. This announcement follows a series of air strikes that reportedly destroyed a significant portion of Syria’s strategic weapons stockpiles.

In the last 48 hours, after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s government, Israeli jets conducted over 350 strikes targeting various military assets, including anti-aircraft batteries, military airfields, weapons production sites, combat aircraft, and missiles. Additionally, missile vessels targeted Syrian naval facilities at Al-Bayda and Latakia ports, where 15 naval vessels were docked.

Israeli officials stated that these strikes aimed to eliminate strategic weapons and military infrastructure to prevent their use by rebel groups that have ousted Assad, some of which have ties to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that Israel does not intend to interfere in Syria’s internal affairs but will take necessary actions to ensure its security. He authorized air force operations to destroy military capabilities left by the Syrian army to prevent them from falling into the hands of jihadists.

Following Assad’s departure, Israeli troops entered a demilitarized zone in Syria established after the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, including the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, where they took control of an abandoned military post. A military spokesperson confirmed that Israeli forces remained in the buffer zone and a few additional locations nearby but denied any significant advancement into Syrian territory beyond that area.

Israel describes its incursion into Syrian territory as a temporary and limited measure for border security, especially after agreeing to a ceasefire in Lebanon with Hezbollah. The scale of the strikes in Syria mirrors a previous wave of attacks in southern Lebanon that targeted Hezbollah’s missile stockpiles.

The Israeli military reported that the strikes successfully hit most of Syria’s strategic weapons stockpiles and production sites in cities such as Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Latakia, and Palmyra, destroying various missile types, drones, and military aircraft. Israel welcomed Assad’s fall, an ally of Iran, but remains cautious regarding the leading rebel faction, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which has connections to Islamist movements.

Katz did not provide specifics about the proposed “sterile defense zone,” but the operation highlights the strength of Israel’s air force. Netanyahu expressed a desire for relations with the new Syrian regime but warned that any transfer of Iranian weapons to Hezbollah or attacks on Israel would be met with a strong response.