Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a blunt warning on Tuesday to the leaders of the Islamist-led rebel forces who now control Syria, saying the State of Israel will not allow an Islamic State-style threat to exist across the northern border.
The minister made the remarks during a visit to an Israeli Navy base in Haifa that followed by one day the destruction of the Syrian fleet by the Navy’s missile ships.
Katz was accompanied by the Commander of the Navy, Major General David Sa’ar Salama, and the commander of the base, Brigadier General Eli Sucholitsky, and received operational reviews from the commanders on the extensive operational activities of the various flotillas, as well as details on the large-scale operation carried out by the Navy yesterday in destroying the Syrian fleet by means of missile ships.
As part of the tour, the minister toured the Flotilla 3 missile ship and the Flotilla 7 submarine.
During the visit, the minister warned rebels against allowing Islamist extremists to exploit the current political vacuum to take control of the country.
“The IDF has been operating in Syria in recent days to destroy strategic capabilities that threaten the State of Israel,” Katz said. “The Navy operated last night to destroy the Syrian fleet with great success.”
Katz referenced the fall on Sunday of former President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, completed with the capture of Damascus by rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly known as the Al Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organization.
“I warn the rebel leaders in Syria: Whoever follows Assad’s path will end up like Assad,” Katz said.
“We will not allow an extremist Islamic terrorist entity to act against Israel across its border and at the risk of its citizens. We will do everything necessary to remove this threat.”
Katz said the IDF is in the process of completing its establishment in the buffer zone, and in controlled areas to protect the residents of the Golan Heights and the citizens of Israel.
He said that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have instructed the IDF to establish “a sterile defense zone free of weapons and terrorist threats in southern Syria, without a permanent Israeli presence” in order to prevent the “establishment and organization of terrorism” in Syria and to prevent the creation of a reality similar to that which existed in Lebanon and in the region prior to October 7th.
“We will not allow this, we will not allow threats to the State of Israel, we will continue and act with all our might to remove the threats,” Katz said.
“Again, I warn and emphasize – we will not allow anyone to threaten the residents of the Golan, the citizens of the State of Israel, and we will act with a strong hand against any organization.”
