As Assad regime falls, Israel carries out airstrikes in Syria to prevent critical weapons falling into hands of jihadi fighters

Syrian and Arab media reported a wave of Israeli Air Force strikes on a range of sites, including the military airports – Al-Mazzeh and Khalkhaleh – while IDF troops seized positions in the Syrian Golan Heights. 

According to Reuters, Israel conducted three airstrikes against a major security complex in the Kafr Sousa district of the Syrian capital, along with a research center previously used by Iranian scientists to develop missiles.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz visited the Syrian border, where Netanyahu claimed that the fall of Assad “is the direct result of our forceful action against Hezbollah and Iran, Assad's main supporters.” 

Earlier on Sunday morning, rebels were seen at Al-Mazzeh, which has been targeted by Israel numerous times in the past.

Syrian opposition-linked "Voice of the Capital" news site reported: “Israel is systematically destroying all the brigades and battalions of the previous regime in southern Syria, including direct strikes on all air defense systems, missile depots, and weapons development and manufacturing facilities. Any place that participated, produced, or developed weapons that could threaten Israel.” 

תיעוד שלא רואים כל יום בסוריה - תקיפה ישראלית בשדה התעופה אל-מזה באזור דמשק pic.twitter.com/QaAMAOhlPm

— roi kais • روعي كايس • רועי קייס (@kaisos1987) December 8, 2024

Later in the day, the news outlet reported that Israel and Russia had already initiated discussions about an agreement to hand over strategic sites held by Russian forces in the rural areas of Dara'a and Quneitra to Israeli forces, particularly Tel al-Hara. 

Voice of the Capital also noted that several of the targeted sites were positions of the regime’s Republican Guard and the Syrian Army Fourth Division near Mount Qasioun, overlooking Damascus. 

Saudi TV channel "Al-Hadath" reported that Israeli forces took control of the Syrian Hermon outpost and other positions in the area “without resistance.” 

This report was later confirmed by the Israel Defense Forces and the prime minister.

Netanyahu also said that the IDF deployment to the buffer zone is “a temporary defensive position until a suitable arrangement is found.”  

According to the IDF, troops are being deployed to strategic positions in the buffer zone to prevent armed gunmen from entering the area. On Saturday evening, the IDF helped defend a UN post that came under attack. 

The IDF is concerned about weapons from the Assad regime being used to attack Israel. The strikes on various weapons facilities were meant to prevent this from happening. 

According to reports, the Israeli military sent warning messages to rebel groups in the Syrian Golan Heights, instructing them not to cross the Alpha Line, which marks the start of the demilitarized zone. 

Security sources in Lebanon claim that Hezbollah has withdrawn all of its forces from Syria.

Syrian army sources told Reuters that Hezbollah forces had withdrawn from the border city of Al-Qusayr in Homs province, shortly before rebel groups gained control. The reports also claim the IDF attacked a Hezbollah convoy with at least 150 armored vehicles carrying hundreds of Hezbollah fighters that left the city in stages. Al-Qusayr has been a key route for transferring weapons and Hezbollah fighters between Syria and Lebanon since the terrorist organization took control of it in 2013, during the early stages of the Syrian Civil War. 

After the announcement regarding the capture of Damascus, the Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement, saying, “Iran respects Syria's territorial integrity and national sovereignty.” 

The statement also said that “determining Syria’s future and making decisions about its destiny is the sole right of the Syrian people.” 

Iran's Foreign Ministry also said it expected “the long-standing and friendly relations between the Iranian and Syrian nations” to continue.