Shafaq News – Middle East

The Israeli army will maintain its presence on Syria’s Mount Hermon and the surrounding buffer zone, Israel’s Defense Minister Yisrael Katz confirmed on Tuesday.

“The army will remain on Mount Hermon and in the security zone to safeguard the Golan and Galilee communities from Syrian threats,” Katz stated in a post on X, emphasizing that Israel will continue protecting the Druze population in Syria.

Earlier, Israeli forces entered the village of Suweisa in Quneitra province, raiding civilian homes. The troops also advanced into the western Damascus countryside, moving into Beit Jinn and parts of Mount Hermon, where soldiers opened fire on residents under the pretext of pursuing “saboteurs.”

Syrian Foreign Minister Assad Al-Shaibani condemned the incursions, accusing Israel of violating the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and previous United Nations Security Council resolutions by establishing intelligence centers and military positions in restricted areas.

He further called on the United Nations and the Security Council to assume legal and moral responsibility, urging the implementation of measures to halt Israel’s “violations and assaults” on Syrian territory.

The rising tensions come despite a Syrian-Israeli meeting held in Paris on August 20 under US mediation, which focused on regional stability, non-interference in Syrian affairs, and enforcing the Suwayda ceasefire.