Israel builds flexible presence in Syria as window opens to strike Iran
Israeli leaders keep stressing that the military presence in the buffer zone and on Mount Hermon is temporary, but a lot will depend on who will control Syria hence on
TEL AVIV — On a wave of euphoria over its trouncing of Iran’s regional proxies and inadvertently bringing about the fall of the Assad regime, Israel is hoping for a US-backed strike to destroy Iran’s nuclear program as well as deeper penetration into rebel-held Syria.
What began as Israel's rapid takeover of the demilitarized buffer zone between Israel and Syria and a strategic outpost on Mount Hermon on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights is turning into a heavy presence with plans to take new positions.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday, “Due to events in Syria, there is enormous security importance to our hold on the Hermon summit and we must ensure that soldiers can remain in the area even in inclement weather conditions."
A senior Israeli military source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that Israeli soldiers are deployed 30 kilometers (18 miles) from Damascus and will not retreat until the threat to Israel’s border is removed, which could take "between four days and four years."
