Netanyahu directs army to take control of Syria's buffer zone

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that he had instructed the Israeli military to take control of a demilitarized buffer zone along the Syrian border following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Damascus. Netanyahu asserted that a decades-old "disengagement agreement" between Israel and Syria had disintegrated, citing the withdrawal of Syrian forces from their positions. 

"I directed the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) yesterday to seize the buffer zone and the commanding positions nearby. We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border," Netanyahu stated during a visit to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which borders the buffer zone.

The announcement came as the Israeli military reported deploying forces in the area to address security concerns. A military statement cited "the possible entry of armed individuals into the buffer zone" as a key reason for the deployment. The IDF emphasized its mission to secure the safety of Israeli citizens and the Golan Heights communities while maintaining the buffer zone's integrity. The statement added that the Israeli military was not intervening in Syria's internal affairs.

The situation escalated as the Islamist-led rebel coalition, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, launched an offensive against Syrian government forces. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Syrian army units had vacated their positions in Quneitra province, adjacent to the Golan Heights. 

Israel’s occupation of most of the Golan Heights dates back to 1967, with its subsequent annexation remaining largely unrecognized internationally. The buffer zone, established in 1974, has been monitored by UN peacekeepers under the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF). However, recent events have destabilized the area. According to a UNDOF spokesperson, unidentified armed individuals entered one of their positions, prompting Israeli assistance in repelling the attack.

Meanwhile, Lebanese media reported an Israeli airstrike targeting an arms depot in Quneitra, though the Israeli military did not comment. Additionally, schools in the northern Golan Heights shifted to online learning, and agricultural lands in the region were declared a "closed military zone."

This development marks a significant shift in the buffer zone's status, as Israel seeks to prevent hostile entities from gaining a foothold near its borders.