Netanyahu says Israel ‘very close’ to achieving goals against Iran during southern Syria visit

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel was “very close” to achieving its objectives in its confrontation with Iran, as he visited Israeli forces deployed on Mount Hermon (Jabal al-Sheikh) in Syrian territory.

Netanyahu toured an Israeli military position on Mount Hermon accompanied by Defence Minister Israel Katz and Deputy Chief of Staff Tamir Yadai. He received an operational briefing from Northern Command chief Ori Gordin and 210th Division commander Yair Peli, according to Israeli reports.

Speaking from the summit, Netanyahu highlighted Israel’s military position across its northern front, pointing to Damascus, Lebanon and the Golan Heights and asserting that Israeli forces had established an unprecedented degree of control over the surrounding area.

“We control the entire region from the summit of Mount Hermon to the Yarmouk, and from here to the Mediterranean coast,” Netanyahu said, describing Israel’s position as one of “unprecedented, absolute control.”

He said the deployment was intended to prevent armed groups that Israel considers threats from establishing themselves close to its borders.

Netanyahu then turned to the conflict with Iran, describing the defeat of the Iranian government as Israel’s principal objective.

“The primary task is to decisively defeat the terror regime in Iran,” Netanyahu said. “We are very close to that.”

He also predicted the eventual collapse of what Israel describes as the Iranian-led regional “axis,” which includes armed groups aligned with Tehran in several Middle Eastern countries.

Katz, speaking during the same visit, said Israeli forces would remain in the area they currently hold in Syria, arguing that their presence was necessary to protect the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights and northern Israel from potential armed threats.