DAMASCUS, Dec 11: According to a Syrian opposition war monitor, Israel conducted a series of intense airstrikes across Syria as its ground forces made deeper incursions into the country. On December 10, 2024, the Israeli Defence Minister claimed that Israeli forces had successfully targeted and destroyed Syria’s naval capabilities.
Israel has confirmed that its troops have entered a buffer zone in Syria following the recent overthrow of President Bashar Assad. However, it is still unclear if Israeli soldiers have advanced beyond this area, which has been in place for over five decades. Israel has denied any movement towards the Syrian capital, Damascus.
The Israeli military reported conducting over 350 airstrikes in Syria within a 48-hour period, targeting most of the country’s strategic weapon stockpiles to prevent them from being seized by extremist groups. Targeted sites included air defense systems, military airfields, missile depots, and numerous arms production facilities in Damascus and other regions. Reports from the Associated Press in the capital noted heavy bombings overnight into the morning of December 10, 2024.
Additionally, Israeli missile ships attacked two Syrian naval facilities, where Israeli military sources indicated 15 naval vessels were stationed. While the specific number of vessels struck was not disclosed, private security firm Ambrey reported that at least six Soviet-era missile ships were hit.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that Israel aims to establish a demilitarized zone in southern Syria, declaring at a navy base in Haifa that the army would create a “defense zone devoid of weapons and terrorist threats” to prevent terrorism from taking root in Syria, without a permanent Israeli presence.
Katz also cautioned Syria’s rebels to reconsider their alignment with Assad, asserting that “those who follow Assad’s path will meet a similar fate.” Israel has consistently argued that the Syria-Lebanon border poses a risk for the smuggling of arms to Hezbollah militants.
In a region rife with geopolitical tensions, any military maneuver can provoke significant regional anxiety, given that Damascus is only about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the buffer zone and a few additional miles from Israeli territory.
There was no prompt response from the insurgent groups, notably Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which have gained control over large parts of the nation. Their rapid advance ended the Assad family’s decades-long rule after nearly 14 years of civil war, leading to numerous uncertainties about the future.
Former officials from the ousted Syrian government began transferring authority to a new transitional cabinet led by Mohammed al-Bashir, who previously directed the rebel coalition’s “salvation government” in the southwestern region. On December 10, 2024, outgoing officials met with al-Bashir for the first time; he indicated that the transitional phase would last until early March.
Life in the capital is gradually returning to normal following Assad’s departure, as he fled the country over the weekend and sought asylum in Russia. Private banks have reopened under directives from the central bank, with Sadi Ahmad, a branch manager in the affluent Abu Rummaneh neighborhood, reporting full employee attendance.
Shops have reopened in the historic Hamidiyeh market, bustling with both armed individuals and civilians purchasing perfumes and ice cream. A clothing retailer, speaking anonymously for safety reasons, expressed hope that vendors would no longer need to pay bribes to security officials.
At Bakdash, a renowned ice cream parlor, a sign welcomed the “rebels of free Syria,” echoing sentiments of newfound freedom. “Damascus is more beautiful now,” shared shopper Maysoun Qurabi. She reflected on the earlier atmosphere of hunger and fear under Assad’s regime, describing the previous regime as oppressive.
Many Syrians celebrated Assad’s fall, expressing hope for an end to pervasive bribery. “We are thrilled to have rid ourselves of the corrupt regime,” declared Abdul-Jalil Diab, who was exploring a square in western Damascus with his brothers. Having lived in Jordan while studying German, he now reconsiders his plans after the fall of the city.
“The entire country feels revitalized,” he noted.
However, reports of disarray persist, with the U.N. indicating continued instances of humanitarian aid being looted from U.N. warehouses and those of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, particularly in and around Damascus.
Immediately following Assad’s removal, Israeli forces moved into a buffer zone of approximately 400 square kilometers (155 square miles) in Syria, a region established after the 1973 Mideast conflict, to mitigate potential attacks on its territory.
Israel has a longstanding practice of capturing and indefinitely occupying territories during conflicts, citing security reasons. The Golan Heights was captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and subsequently annexed, a move that has not garnered international recognition, save for the United States.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has closely monitored the conflict since it erupted in 2011, reported that Israel has launched over 300 airstrikes across Syria since the rebels ousted Assad. Both the Observatory and Beirut-based Mayadeen TV, with on-ground reporters in Syria, noted that Israeli troops have been advancing on the Syrian side of the Lebanon border, reportedly coming within 25 kilometers (15 miles) of Damascus, a claim the Israeli military refuted.
Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesperson, dismissed media claims about Israeli tank movements near Damascus as false, stating that Israeli forces remain positioned within the buffer zone for protective measures.
Previously, the Israeli military conveyed that troops would enter the buffer zone and other necessary locations for national defense.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later confirmed the airstrikes, clarifying their purpose was to dismantle any remaining military capabilities of the fallen regime and expressing a desire for constructive relations with the new Syrian government. His remarks came during a video statement recorded on the first day of his testimony in a corruption trial.
Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia condemned Israel’s incursion, accusing it of exploiting Syria’s turmoil and violating international law. Turkey, a key supporter of the Syrian opposition to Assad, similarly denounced Israel’s actions, claiming Israel exhibited an “occupier’s mentality” during a time when peace and stability appeared to be possible in Syria.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric emphasized that Israel’s actions violate the 1974 disengagement agreement, urging both Israel and Syria to adhere to its terms. (Agencies)
