Israel Defence Minister, in rare Syria visit, says troops will stay while threats persist

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz made a rare visit to troops stationed in southern Syria on Tuesday, reiterating his government's commitment to keep forces in the area as long as threats to Israel's security persist.

"There is daily activity here to thwart threats, to eliminate remnants of the old regime, to prevent dangerous consolidation of the new regime," Mr. Katz said in a video statement released by his office. He added that the message was clear to Syria's president. "When you wake up in the morning in your palace in Damascus, look up at Mount Hermon and see the IDF — you know we are here to protect our communities and our border," he said.

"As long as there are threats, the IDF will remain here to guarantee our security — this is what we have done and this is what we intend to continue doing in the future," he added.

The visit, which was not announced beforehand, highlights Israel's military footprint in Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Israeli forces have been stationed in a "security zone" in southern Syria, an area that was previously a buffer zone patrolled by the United Nations, separating Israeli and Syrian forces in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights since 1974. The occupation of the Golan has not been internationally recognised.

The security zone, which Israel calls a defensive buffer, extends several kilometres into Syrian territory. Israeli officials have said the area is necessary to prevent attacks on the Golan Heights and Israeli communities near the border. The United Nations has previously described Israeli incursions as violations of the 1974 disengagement agreement.

Mr. Katz's trip came a week after Israel bombed the disused Abu Duhur air base in northwestern Syria, claiming it wanted to prevent Turkish troops from deploying to the facility. Ankara has denied any presence at the site. During his tour, Mr. Katz addressed the strike, saying Israel had "acted against a Turkish attempt to entrench itself in Syria, at the risk of Israel's security interests."

Syria's Foreign Ministry described the visit as a "flagrant violation of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity," and urged the international community to take measures to force what it called the occupying authorities to halt such violations.

Since the collapse of the Assad government, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria and made repeated incursions into Syrian territory. Israeli officials have consistently said they will maintain a presence in the security zone, with the military seeking a broader demilitarised area.

Israel has also defended its strikes on Syrian territory as necessary to prevent advanced weaponry from falling into the hands of hostile groups, including Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed militias. The Syrian government, however, sees the strikes as violations of its sovereignty and has called for international pressure on Israel to stop them.

Last week, Israeli army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir visited troops in the same zone, stating that the military would not allow threats to "establish themselves" on the border. Analysts say the Israeli presence has made the border area a flashpoint in a region already fraught with tension.

The current security arrangements in southern Syria remain a point of tension between Israel and the new government in Damascus, which is yet to establish full control over all parts of the country. Meanwhile, Israel has said it will continue to act against any perceived threat, regardless of international criticism.

The international community has watched the developments closely, with the United Nations and several countries expressing concern over the growing Israeli military activity in Syria. The situation is being closely monitored as the security of the border area affects the broader stability of the Middle East.