Israeli military will remain on Syrian territory

The Israeli military will remain on Syrian territory near Mount Hermon, Defence Minister Israel Katz announced on Tuesday.

Syria said Israel deployed 60 soldiers on Monday to seize a strategic hilltop overlooking Beit Jinn, calling the invasion a violation of its sovereignty and a threat to regional security.

Residents said Israeli forces also detained six Syrians during the operation.

In a social media post, Katz defended the invasion as “necessary to protect the Golan and Galilee communities from threats”, citing 7 October 2023 as the main reason for Israel’s move.