Israel has stationed its forces in new positions within the buffer zone along the Israel-Syria border in the Golan Heights, following the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the deployment on Sunday, marking the first such move since the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement.
In a statement posted on X, the IDF explained that the deployment followed a situational assessment in response to recent events in Syria, including the entry of armed personnel into the buffer zone. The IDF assured that the move was necessary to protect Israeli citizens and communities in the Golan Heights. “We have deployed forces in the buffer zone and other locations essential for defense to ensure the safety of our people,” the statement read.
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While the IDF clarified that it would not intervene in Syria’s internal affairs, it noted that the deployment was triggered by concerns over the possibility of gunmen entering the zone.
The deployment coincides with escalating unrest in Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, reported that rebel fighters entered Damascus at dawn on Sunday. Witnesses also observed hundreds of government soldiers withdrawing from Damascus International Airport, shedding their uniforms and blending into civilian crowds.
Reports suggest that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has fled the country, though the Syrian presidency denies these claims, insisting that Assad is still in Damascus fulfilling his duties. Social media footage from the capital showed intense gunfire and heavy traffic, as residents fled the violence. One video also depicted a statue of Hafez al-Assad, the late father of Bashar, being torn down, symbolizing the regime’s apparent collapse.
In a Facebook post, Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali expressed his readiness to cooperate with any new leadership chosen by the people, while urging citizens to refrain from vandalizing public property amidst the turmoil.