IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir toured southern Syria on Wednesday and declared that the military will maintain a buffer zone to prevent terrorist threats and will not allow hostile forces — including Turkey — to entrench along Israel's borders, The Zioneer reports.
On Wednesday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir declared that Israel will maintain a permanent buffer zone inside southern Syria and will not allow Turkey to establish a military presence along the shared border. The statement, issued during a tour of the area, escalates his earlier warning earlier in the day, when he vowed to prevent any hostile entrenchment near Israeli borders.
At 13:30 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that Zamir had visited southern Syria and issued a direct message to Turkey, stating that Israel is monitoring the Syrian front and will not permit hostile forces to establish near its borders. The visit came a day after the Israeli Air Force struck targets in northern Syria, according to the IDF Spokesperson. The growing Israeli concern over Turkish involvement in Syria has been a central theme in recent defense discussions.
The announcement aligns with a broader policy outlined by Defense Minister Israel Katz on June 25, who declared that the IDF would remain in security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza without a time limit. Since the fall of the Assad regime, Turkey has expanded its influence through local proxies and direct deployments. Israel has conducted dozens of strikes against weapons convoys and infrastructure it links to Turkish-backed militias, as The Zioneer has reported.
Zamir did not specify the exact depth of the buffer zone. The IDF's current area of control in southern Syria includes a cordon several kilometers deep, established after the 2024 ceasefire with the former Syrian government. Critics in Israel have called for a clearer policy regarding Turkish aspirations, while the military has emphasized operational discretion.
3 developments
- StrongKatz: IDF will stay in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza security zones indefinitely, rejects withdrawal pressure
- DevelopingIDF Chief of Staff Visits Gaza, Vows to Disarm Hamas
- StrongSenior official: IDF will stay in Lebanon security zone to protect north, destroy terror infrastructure
- StrongIDF Chief of Staff Zamir vows to hunt down all terrorists involved in Tell attack
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