Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz visited troops in southern Syria on Tuesday, declaring that forces will not withdraw from their positions as long as security threats exist. The visit drew condemnation from Damascus, which called it a flagrant violation of Syrian sovereignty.
Katz's remarks came after Israel claimed responsibility for strikes on a Syrian airbase to block an alleged Turkish troop deployment. The Israeli military chief, General Eyal Zamir, said Israel would not allow threats to take root on its border. Israeli forces remain deployed in the former U.N.-patrolled buffer zone on the Golan Heights.
The U.S. removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism on Monday, after nearly five decades. Meanwhile, U.S. envoy Tom Barrack has described the Israeli strikes as an unnecessary escalation, urging dialogue. Israel has conducted hundreds of strikes in Syria since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.