IDF conducts over 300 strikes on Syrian regime targets

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has carried out more than 300 airstrikes in Syria since Sunday, following the collapse of Bashar Assad’s regime. Israeli media reports this as the heaviest air campaign in Syria since the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

The strikes, confirmed by Western intelligence sources, primarily targeted Syrian air force bases, destroying dozens of helicopters, jets, and strategic weapons systems. Reports indicate that the Syrian Air Force could be entirely dismantled within days, significantly reducing the threat to Israel from the region’s instability.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stated that the strikes aimed to prevent advanced weapons, including chemical weapons and long-range missiles, from falling into the hands of extremist groups.

“We attacked strategic weapons systems, like remaining chemical weapons and long-range missiles, to ensure they would not fall into hostile hands,” Sa’ar told the Associated Press.

The IDF also targeted military bases and suspected chemical weapons facilities, including a defense ministry research site in Damascus’s Barzeh district. Loud explosions were reported in the Syrian capital on Monday and Tuesday, attributed to Israeli airstrikes.

Following Assad’s ouster by rebel forces, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the IDF to establish a secure area within Syria beyond the 1974 buffer zone in the Golan Heights. The move aims to prevent terrorist groups from using the region to launch attacks against Israel.

“We will not allow strategic weapons or terror infrastructure to remain near our borders,” Katz stated.

IDF tanks reportedly advanced to positions 3 kilometers from the town of Qatana, approximately 20 kilometers from Damascus, though IDF spokespeople denied reports of troops leaving the buffer zone.

The U.S. has signaled tacit approval of Israel’s operations. A U.S. official told Kan News that “no nation can tolerate terror groups on its doorstep” and described Israel’s actions as “temporary and tactical operations” to secure its northern border.

While the IDF asserts its actions are defensive and not an intervention in Syria’s internal conflict, the strikes have drawn international attention. Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen outlet, affiliated with Hezbollah, criticized the operations, while the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called for an immediate halt to Israeli actions.

Israel’s aggressive campaign comes as the region adjusts to the power vacuum left by Assad’s regime. By dismantling Syria’s military assets and securing strategic positions, Israel aims to minimize threats while safeguarding its northern communities.

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