Yedioth Ahronoth: Israel is planning for extra measures in Syria
The Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper revealed that Israel has formulated a new operational concept to confront developments in Syria, expressing its anger at the visits of senior Western officials to the new regime in Damascus.
Yedioth Ahronoth said that Israel’s plan focuses on a “possession zone” for the Israeli army 15 kilometers inside Syria and an “influence zone” with intelligence control 60 kilometers deep.
Senior Israeli officials say Tel Aviv will be required to maintain a 15-kilometer “holding zone” inside Syrian territory where the Israeli military will maintain a presence to ensure that loyalists of the new regime cannot fire rockets toward the Golan, as well as a 60-kilometer “zone of influence” inside Syria where Israel will control intelligence to ensure that no threat to it develops there.
Yedioth Ahronoth reported that despite the new Syrian administration in Damascus confirming that it’s not in conflict with Israel, Tel Aviv isn’t taking any risks.
In Israel, they are surprised by what they call the “blindness” of the West in the face of the new regime led by Ahmed al Sharaa, as the Israeli newspaper reported that the United States, Britain and Germany made a pilgrimage to al Julani”.
A senior Israeli official attacked the Western countries at the meeting of the political-security cabinet, saying, “Let’s remember that the background to these matters is that the West is now sending senior representatives to Damascus in the hope that al Julani’s statements about moderation and the formation of a government that respects human rights will actually come true… Syria under his leadership may move towards a democratic system, although al Julani himself said that elections aren’t expected in the country in the coming years”.
“The United States has already canceled the $10 million bounty it had put on his head over the past decade… It also eased some sanctions on Syria this week,” the senior Israeli official added.
“The West wants to be deliberately blind because these are the most dangerous people in the world… former members of al Qaeda… It’s amazing how the world has fallen into the trap again… The Arab world around us understands this and warns the West, but they do not listen… The fall of Assad and the Iranian axis in Syria is certainly a good thing… but threats are being created,” a senior Israeli official said.
According to the official, the rebels in Syria have sent messages to Israel that they do not intend to go to war with it, but he doubted that, saying, “This may be true for a year or two, or maybe even 10 or 20 years, but no one can guarantee that they will not turn to us after that, and these are very dangerous people… Now, al Julani wants the sanctions on Syria lifted so that he can bring in money from abroad, and in the long run, Israel will have to maintain a zone of control and influence in Syria”.
The official noted that Israel hopes that US President-elect Donald Trump, after his inauguration on January 20, will give it full support against Syria and Lebanon at a distance of 60 kilometers, where Tel Aviv can ensure that no threat to Israel develops,” adding, “We’re building an operational concept for the new reality”.
In Israel, too, they are concerned about the rise of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Syria, while turning a blind eye to al Julani.
In this context, the official stated that they won’t allow them to establish their presence in Syria, just as they didn’t allow Iran to establish its presence there.
He continued by saying, “We estimate that al Julani prefers them to stay so that they can try to work against Israel, even if there is room for denial”.
It’s worth noting that immediately after the overthrow of the Assad regime in December 2024, Israel took control of the buffer zone established under the separation of forces agreement with Syria after the October 1973, Yom Kippur War and occupied the Syrian Mount Hermon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during his visit to Syria’s Mount Hermon, accompanied by Defense Minister Israel Katz, “We’ll remain in this important place until another arrangement is reached that guarantees Israel’s security, and we will determine the best arrangement that will guarantee our security”.
Following the overthrow of the Assad regime, the Israeli Air Force carried out a large-scale bombing operation aimed at destroying the strategic capabilities of the Syrian army and preventing them from falling into the hands of the new administration.
