Israeli media reported on Tuesday that the Israel Defense Forces have carried out 300 airstrikes in Syria since the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday, the most in the country since the 1973 Yom Kippur War. It was a large-scale air operation.
of israel Enet The news agency confirmed the figures late Monday night, citing Western intelligence sources, and said the airstrikes primarily targeted air bases containing entire fighter squadrons.
It is believed that the Syrian Air Force could be completely destroyed “within days”. Enet He said this would significantly reduce the threat the next Syrian government poses to the Jewish state.
The last time Israel destroyed its entire air force was in 1967, when the Egyptian Air Force was wiped out in the first hours of the Six-Day War.
This was announced by local security officials. Reuters On Monday, the Israeli Air Force said it had attacked at least three military bases housing dozens of helicopters and fighter jets, in the biggest wave of attacks on the Syrian air force since the fall of the Assad regime.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based war monitoring organization with ties to the Syrian opposition, was quoted as saying. AFP As Israel confirmed on Monday that it had carried out more than 100 attacks, including those suspected of chemical weapons Production site. The Israel Defense Forces did not immediately comment on the attack.
early Tuesday morning, AFP and Al Jazeera reported that there had been a large explosion in Damascus, with the latter news agency attributing the explosion to Israel.
On Sunday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Escape from Damascus A coalition of rebel forces storms the capital, ending his family's 50-year rule.
“The tyrant Bashar al-Assad has been overthrown,” a rebel spokesman declared in a statement broadcast on state television Sunday morning.
On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Searle The IAF has admitted to attacking production facilities to prevent chemical weapons and long-range missiles from falling into enemy hands.
“We attacked strategic weapons systems, for example remaining chemical weapons and long-range missiles and rockets, to keep them out of the hands of extremists,” Saar said. Associated Press.
“Our only concern is the safety of Israel and its people,” he reiterated in remarks to the news agency. The top diplomat did not provide details about when or where the airstrike took place.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said early Monday morning that he had ordered the Israel Defense Forces to continue destroying strategic weapons held by the Syrian regime and Iranian-backed militias to prevent them from falling into the hands of terrorist groups. Announced.
The Defense Ministry said the weapons brought by the IDF included “surface-to-air missiles, air defense systems, surface-to-surface missiles, cruise missiles, long-range rockets, and surface-to-sea missiles.”
Katz also ordered the military to establish a secure zone within Syrian territory, free of strategic weapons and terrorist infrastructure, beyond the buffer zone on the Israeli-Syrian border. According to the IDF, the 210th “Bashan” Division launched an active operation on Sunday to ensure “the protection of the population of the Golan Heights in light of events in Syria.”
Katz also said he had directed the military to establish full control over the once demilitarized region. buffer zone The Golan Islands were established under the 1974 disengagement agreement between Damascus and Jerusalem that ended the Yom Kippur War.
According to Lebanon Al Mayadeen An Israeli Defense Force tank with close ties to the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah arrived 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from the town of Qatana, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the Damascus suburbs.
Three security officials (one from Syria and two from the region) confirmed the report, saying: Reuters It announced that IDF soldiers had arrived in Katana on Tuesday.
IDF spokesperson rejected In a report late Tuesday, Reuters Israeli ground forces said they “have not left the buffer zone.”
Jerusalem has reportedly informed the US that the operation in Syria is a “temporary and tactical operation” to protect civilians in the north. U.S. government officials signaled U.S. government approval of the move in conversations with Israel. Suga news “No country can tolerate a terrorist group in its immediate vicinity,” the broadcaster said.
“Since the Syrian army has abandoned positions in and around the Israeli-Syrian buffer zone, Israel has declared that Syria's implementation of the 1974 ceasefire agreement has collapsed. “We have taken temporary measures to prevent an invasion of Israel,” an American source told Israeli public broadcaster.
“We hope that stability will return to the region in the future,” the official added.
Two sources familiar with the details of the conversation said. Suga news Jerusalem says it has notified the Biden administration of its intention to seize the Syrian portion of Mount Hermon and the buffer zone. Washington has not expressed public opposition to the move.
