Israel has unleashed massive airstrikes across Syria, signaling its determination to secure its interests after the ‘stunning’ fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Over the past 48 hours, Israeli fighter jets have carried out more than 300 aerial assaults targeting key Syrian military sites. The airstrikes were labeled as the most powerful against Syria since the 1973 October War.
With the Assad regime, a key ally of Iran, ousted from the country, Israel moved quickly to carry out what many termed a “defanging operation,” aimed at dismantling the remaining military infrastructure in Syria and ensuring that advanced weaponry does not fall into hostile hands.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear on December 9 that Israel would use all available means to safeguard its security in the aftermath of Assad’s collapse.
“Israel’s goal is to destroy all Syrian Army equipment, from tanks to missiles,” said a senior Israeli source.
According to Israeli media, the Israel Air Force (IAF) targeted a wide range of military assets, including aircraft, missiles, and chemical weapons stockpiles.
These strikes were concentrated primarily in southern Syria, around the capital, Damascus, and focused on disabling air defense systems, warehouses of surface-to-surface missiles, and chemical weapon facilities.
Israeli security sources noted that these operations have significantly expanded the IAF’s operational freedom, providing greater flexibility in addressing emerging threats in the region.
Reports also indicate that Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group allied with Assad and Iran, has attempted to seize Syrian weaponry.
The airstrikes reportedly struck at least three major Syrian military airbases—the Qamishli base in the northeast, the Shinshar base in Homs, and the Aqrba airport southwest of Damascus.
These bases housed dozens of helicopters and jets, many of which were reportedly destroyed in the attacks. In addition, IAF jets targeted several other military facilities, including a research center near Damascus and a center for electronic warfare in the Sayeda Zainab area.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a London-based monitoring group, also reported that Israel’s air campaign had wiped out some of Syria’s most vital military sites. These included airports, military warehouses, radars, and ammunition depots scattered across Syria.
SOHR also confirmed that the 112th Brigade in the western countryside of Daraa and Al-Kam military warehouses near Mahja Town were among the targets of Israel’s airstrikes.
Among the most notable strikes was an assault on the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC) in Barzeh, north of Damascus.
The SSRC, a facility long suspected of being involved in Syria’s chemical weapons program, had already been targeted in previous Israeli operations. Explosions in the area confirmed that the research center had been struck again.
Images circulating online also suggest that key Syrian military assets, including MiG-29 and MiG-21 fighter jets, were destroyed in the strikes.
Photos also emerged showing damage to French-made Aérospatiale Gazelle helicopters, which Syrian rebels at the Mezzeh Air Base in Damascus had recently captured.
These helicopters, which date back to the 1970s, were once used by Syrian forces in anti-tank missile operations against Israeli armored vehicles during the 1982 Lebanon War. The loss of these aircraft represents another major blow to Syria’s airpower.
Furthermore, one of Syria’s Pantsir missile defense systems appears to have been destroyed in the operation. The Pantsir system, which is designed to intercept aerial threats, had been a cornerstone of Syria’s defense against airstrikes.
Israel Seizes Golan Buffer Zone
In addition to its airstrikes, Israel has deployed additional ground forces deeper into the Golan Heights, a region it has occupied since the 1967 Six-Day War.
Israeli ground forces advanced beyond the demilitarized zone along the Israel-Syria border over the weekend, marking their first significant entry into Syrian territory since the 1973 October War, reported the New York Times.
Israeli troops took control of the summit of Mount Hermon on the Syrian side of the border, along with several other strategic locations crucial for stabilizing control in the area.
On December 8, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) 210th Division began proactive defense operations in the Golan Heights in response to internal developments within Syria.
The IDF announced on December 9 via Telegram that paratrooper units, supported by additional troops, were conducting defensive actions to prevent any potential threats.
These forces are deployed at key positions within the buffer zone, with engineering, infantry, and armored units operating under the command of the 474th and 810th regional brigades to secure Israel’s border with Syria.
Israel’s Minister of Defense, Yisrael Katz, has instructed the creation of a “safe zone” in Syria, which would be free from weapons and ‘terrorist’ infrastructure.
Katz’s orders include ensuring the zone remains free of strategic weapons and preventing the renewal of smuggling routes from Iran to Lebanon via Syria.
Meanwhile, Syrian sources also reported that an Israeli military incursion has reached about 25 kilometers southwest of Damascus, with Israeli forces reportedly advancing into Qatana, approximately 10 kilometers into Syrian territory.
However, Israel has denied claims that its forces have moved beyond the buffer zone, with an IDF spokesperson stating that troops have not left the designated area.
Colonel Avichay Adraee, the IDF Arabic media spokesperson, reaffirmed that Israeli forces are not advancing into Syria beyond the buffer zone. He added that the IDF is only positioned within the zone and along defensive points close to the border to protect Israeli territory.
Former IAF Pilot Explains The Strategic Significance Of Mount Hermon
Naftali Hazony, a former Israeli F-16 pilot, provided insight into the profound significance of Israel’s capture of Mount Hermon. Hazony explained that this strategic maneuver has altered the regional security balance and offers Israel critical advantages over its adversaries.
He said, “Israel has conquered Mt. Hermon, the highest mountain in Syria, its peak reaching 2,814m. Syria’s capital, Damascus, is only 40 km away, now within range of Israel’s artillery shells.”
Hazony detailed how Mount Hermon served as a natural fortress, previously offering Syria an elevated position that dominated much of the surrounding area.
“For decades, Israel’s northern defenses were overshadowed by Syria’s Mt. Hermon. No longer. The most important natural fortress in the region is now in the hands of Israel. Israel did it quietly, driving into Syria’s abandoned positions and taking them without a fight,” he said.
In addition to its tactical value, Hazony pointed out that Mount Hermon’s strategic position had long left a blind spot in Israel’s radar coverage. With Israel’s control of Mount Hermon, Hazony noted, Israel’s radar systems can now cover a much broader area, including parts of Syria and Lebanon.
Hazony explained, “Once placed on Mt. Hermon, Israel’s radars will see far into both Syria and Lebanon, providing early warning of incoming low-flying jets and drones. Israel’s intelligence can also leverage the peak, placing sensors to conduct surveillance and intercept enemy communications.”
He added, “The mountains also provide the perfect cover for Israel’s special forces and spies, who can now enter Syria more freely, conducting missions under the cover of darkness.”
He also pointed out that several of Hezbollah’s smuggling routes north of the mountain have now been cut off, limiting the group’s operational flexibility.
Hazony stated, “As the sun rises, Mt. Hermon casts a shadow over Hezbollah’s stronghold in Southern Lebanon, dominating the main road to their northern stronghold in the Beqaa Valley. Several of Hezbollah’s smuggling routes north of the Hermon have been cut off.”
He concluded by saying, “Be it ISIS, HTS, Iran, or Hezbollah, a hostile force advancing toward Israel will now be exposed — at the mercy of Israel’s drones, surface-to-surface missiles, and laser-guided bombs. Residents of north Israel can sleep more soundly knowing that Israel controls this peak.”
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