Israel’s Prime Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to temporarily seized control of a demilitarised buffer zone in the Golan Heights.
This means Israel has sent its troops to Syrian buffer zone for first time since 1974.
According to Israel, the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria had “collapsed” with the rebel takeover of the country.
Netanyahu said the collapse of the Assad regime is a “historic day in the Middle East”.
He said events in Syria had been the result of Israeli strikes against Iran and the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, Assad’s allies, and insisted Israel would “send a hand of peace” to Syrians who wanted to live in peace with Israel.
What is this buffer zone seized by Israel?
The Golan Heights is a rocky plateau about 60km (40 miles) south-west of Damascus.
Israel seized the Golan from Syria in the closing stages of the 1967 Six-Day War and unilaterally annexed it in 1981. The move was not recognised internationally, although the US did so unilaterally in 2019.
Current situation
In the early hours of the December 8, the rebels announced they have entered Damascus. Less than two hours later, they declared that President Bashar al-Assad fled the country.
The former president is now in Russia. The country was a key ally during Assad’s regime and now his family will reportedly get asylum there.
International media reported that crowds flooded the streets in celebration after the rebels took control of Syria.
