Shafaq News – Middle East

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday proposed creating a demilitarized buffer zone stretching “from Damascus to Mount Hermon.”

During a visit to Sheba Medical Center to meet soldiers wounded in recent clashes in Bet Jinn, Syria, Netanyahu said the measure is intended to “prevent the entrenchment of terrorists and hostile actions against us, and to protect our Druze allies.” He added that any future arrangement with Damascus would need to incorporate these security conditions.

The Israeli military has recently noted heightened alert along the Syrian and Lebanese borders, pointing to the risk of sudden escalation.

The proposal comes as senior US officials warn that continued Israeli strikes inside Syria could unsettle the country and complicate Washington’s efforts to encourage Syrian transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa to consider a security framework with Israel. Axios reported that the administration has cautioned Netanyahu against actions that could impede its broader regional calculations.

US President Donald Trump has also urged restraint, stressing the importance of maintaining communication between Israel and Syria and avoiding steps that could hinder Syria’s political and economic recovery.

Read more: Syria's shifting stance: Is normalization with Israel on the horizon?