The Israeli military has been pounding military infrastructure in Syria in attacks it says aim to ensure Syrian and Iranian weapons and facilities don't fall into the hands of extremists.
Around 300 airstrikes have taken place in Syria, in the wake of the fall of the Assad government, with attacks intensifying on Tuesday.
Reuters reported that they targeted military installations and airbases across Syria overnight, destroying dozens of helicopters and jets, as well as IRGC assets in and around Damascus.
Israeli strikes are also believed to have targeted suspected chemical weapons depots in Syria, the country’s foreign minister told reporters on Monday, in addition to the Al Mezza military airport.
Gideon Sa’ar, said: “The only interest we have is the security of Israel and its citizens that’s why we attacked strategic weapons systems, remaining chemical weapons, long range missiles and rockets, in order that they won’t fall in the hands of extremists.”
A scientific research center in Damascus, which operated under the Syrian Defense Ministry and was the target of Israeli strikes, has been completely destroyed, according to the French news agency AFP.
The center, which the US has identified as being linked to Bashar Assad's chemical weapons program, was already the focus of joint strikes by the US, France and Britain in April 2018.
On Tuesday, Israel denied reports that it has entered deep inside Syria, after it was claimed that troops were edging closer to the capital, Damascus.
Avichay Adrey, the Israeli military’s Arabic spokesman, wrote on X: “Reports circulating in some media outlets claiming that IDF forces are advancing or approaching Damascus are completely incorrect. IDF forces are present inside the buffer zone and at defensive points close to the border in order to protect the Israeli border.”
The Israeli military seized the buffer zone in southern Syria after insurgents infiltrated the UN-monitored zone on Saturday.
Israel says it is only taking control of the buffer zone for “limited and temporary measures" following the infiltration, in a defensive move while it is under fire across its borders from Iran-backed militias in Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank.
However, Reuters reported the military reached just 25 kilometers from Damascus, according to multiple Syrian sources speaking to the news agency.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, likely to stand in the next elections in the hopes of a second term, said on X: "Contrary to reports, the IDF is not advancing on Damascus. Israel is doing exactly what is necessary, destroying advanced Syrian military capabilities before they fall into the hands of radical Jihadists."
While the uncertainty as to the future of Syria remains, he said creating a buffer zone is critical, not least since last year's October 7 attacks when Iran-backed Hamas killed over 1,100 and took 250 more hostage. "We do not know what are the motivations of the various players, but we CAN deny them of certain lethal weapons. October 7th teaches us to focus on capabilities rather than on motivations," he added.
On Monday, the Israeli military released a statement saying that on Sunday, forces of the 210th Division “took steps to proactive ensure the defense of Golan in light of internal events in Syria”.
A statement said: “Paratroopers’ forces, joined by other troops, are conducting defense activities in the field to prevent any threat and are deployed in key positions within the buffer zone.
“Additionally, engineering, infantry, and armored forces are operating under the command of the 474th and the 810th regional brigades, and are stationed along Israel’s border with Syria to secure the area.”
And now, with Syria’s more than 50-year Assad dynasty in ruins, Israel, and other Western nations, are concerned for the next steps as Islamic extremists have taken over. The US also carried out airstrikes on Monday targeting ISIS camps and terrorists.
Syrian chemist, Hamdi Ismail, has also been killed in his home in Damascus though there are no reports as to who is behind the killing.
Syrian Mzahem Alsaloum, who owns a private intelligence agency, was in favor of the strikes, while others have been quick to condemn, including Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“As a Syrian seeking a brighter future for our country, I support the Israeli airstrikes targeting the Syrian regime's army to dismantle their so-called "SAA Strategic Capabilities." … We are facing a precarious situation with two potential outcomes," he wrote on X.
"The first is a Libya-like scenario, where militias and terrorists take control, and we certainly don't want these weapons used against innocent civilians. The second is a new, promising Syria that must be demilitarized, with small, highly developed units capable of addressing minor national security threats, such as disarming militias, countering terrorism, and preventing mafia activities, in collaboration with major NATO allies.”
The main rebel commander leading an array of groups in Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, widely known as Abu Muhammed al-Golani, has spoken openly about his anti-Israel stance.
In a 2021 interview with PBS, the ex-Al Qaeda fighter said that the bloody second intifada which saw Palestinians commit a series of attacks in Israel, killing nearly 1,000 Israelis between 2011 and 2004, inspired him. “I was strongly influenced by the Palestinian intifada [uprising] which was taking place in neighboring Palestine.
“I was still a young man; I was 18 or 19 years old. I started thinking at that time about how I can pursue my duty of defending the nation, which was being persecuted by the occupiers and invaders,” he said.
"The rapid withdrawal of the army was unexpected. All information had been shared in advance. The Syrian army failed to resist, which was largely psychological—no one believed it would happen," he said.
Araghchi said that joint Iranian intelligence had thoroughly assessed the situation, Iran sharing warnings about opposition movements in Idlib with the Syrian government. However, he stopped short of explaining why Iranian forces, a key Assad ally, did not intervene to counter the rapid developments.
“What was surprising was, first, the Syrian army's inability to confront the situation, and second, the rapid pace of developments,” he added.
Araghchi said that while Tehran had a role in the 2017 Astana process - an initiative to build dialogue with opposition groups co-chaired with Russia and Turkey - direct military intervention was not part of Iran’s responsibilities in spite of the country having helped prop up the Assad government for over a decade.
The foreign minister acknowledged Assad’s own shock, saying, “Even Bashar al-Assad himself was surprised by the performance of his army. It was evident there was no accurate analysis within Syria.”
Araghchi also addressed Iran's frustration with recent developments undermining the Astana agreements. “One of the objectives of Astana was to help the government and opposition engage in dialogue. While we made slow progress in this direction, it did not proceed well because Assad’s government showed little flexibility,” he said, in a rare criticism of the decades-long president.
On Saturday, Araghchi participated in the Astana Meeting in Doha, where he met with the Emir of Qatar and other Arab officials.
For now, the situation remains unclear as to Iran's future role in the country, Iran's Supreme Leader set to address the issue in a speech on Wednesday. Ahmad Naderi, a member of the Iranian parliament, said: “Iran's future approach towards Syria depends on the behavior of those who have taken power in the country.”
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the rapid fall of the Syrian government a sign of the weakening of both Moscow and Tehran, while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken linked the collapse to Assad’s refusal to engage politically.
