Israel says its troops in Syria will remain atop Mt Hermon indefinitely

Israel vows to stay in Syria ‘indefinitely’

Areas occupied by Israel in southern Syria will remain under the occupation army’s control ‘indefinitely’, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has said, adding that Israel will not allow any hostile groups to emerge in the region. pic.twitter.com/bogPnkLxd0

— Middle East Monitor (@MiddleEastMnt) January 29, 2025

Israeli troops, who seized strategic ground in southern Syria after the fall of Bashar Al-Assad, will remain on the summit of Mount Hermon indefinitely, Defence Minister, Israel Katz, said on Tuesday after visiting troops there.

Katz said Israel would not allow what he described as hostile forces to establish themselves in southern Syria, Reuters reports.

Mount Hermon, a huge cluster of snow-capped mountain peaks towering above the Syria-Lebanon border, overlooks the Damascus countryside as well as the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war.

Israel says its troops have taken up positions inside a UN-monitored demilitarised zone within Syria, and some have ventured beyond it. Israeli officials have previously said that the moves were limited and temporary, to ensure the security of Israeli borders.

Israel’s move into Syrian territory has been criticised as a violation of international agreements by a number of countries and the United Nations, which has called for the troops to be withdrawn.

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