The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Tuesday that it destroyed most of Syria's strategic weapons in the past 48 hours, launching more than 350 airstrikes against military targets of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's army.
"Within the last 48 hours, the IDF struck most of the strategic weapons stockpiles in Syria, preventing them from falling into the hands of terrorist elements ... Manned aircraft flew hundreds of hours over Syrian airspace, conducting over 350 aerial strikes together with fighter jets," the statement said.
Furthermore, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's adviser Dmitri Gendelman told Sputnik on Tuesday that Israel's presence in the Golan Heights and the buffer zone contributes to the country's security and sovereignty.
"After the fall of the regime hostile to Israel in Syria, a new phase in the history of the Middle East is opening. Israel intends to continue to actively fight against Iran's axis of evil and those who threaten our country. Israel's presence in the Golan Heights and the buffer zone will ensure our security and sovereignty," Gendelman said.
The Golan Heights is a strategic plateau in southwestern Syria that has been the focus of a longstanding geographical dispute. It was captured by Israel from Syria during the Six-Day War in 1967. In 1981, Israel unilaterally annexed the region, a move not recognized internationally. The United Nations and most countries consider it Syrian territory under Israeli occupation. The area is significant due to its strategic military advantage, as it overlooks northern Israel and southern Syria, and its water resources.