Israeli Defense Minister Threatens Damascus, Vows to Keep Occupied Syrian Territory in Türkiye

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz visited the area occupied by the Israeli army in Syria and threatened the Damascus government, saying Israel would continue its occupation in the south of the country. Katz told soldiers in the occupied region that Israel will not leave Mount Hermon or the territory it holds as long as the "threat to the State of Israel" persists. He also issued a direct warning to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying, "When you wake up in the morning in your palace in Damascus and look at Mount Hermon and see the Israeli army, you will know that we are here to protect our borders.

Katz further claimed that Turkey is attempting to establish a presence in Syria, arguing this jeopardizes Israel's security interests and vowing to maintain Israel's positions. The remarks come after Israeli warplanes struck the dormant Abu Zuhur military airbase in Syria's Idlib province on August 18. Syria's Foreign Ministry condemned the attack as an "unjustified assault" and a "dangerous escalation threatening the region's security and stability. Claudio Cordone, the UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, also reacted to the strike, calling for respect for Syria's territorial integrity.