Israeli forces have claimed to have destroyed the Syrian military fleet in an operation on Monday night, as part of a broader campaign to eliminate strategic threats to Israel. Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that the operation was successful and that Israeli forces were establishing themselves in the buffer zone between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. He also ordered a “sterile defensive zone” to be created in southern Syria to prevent any terrorist threat to Israel.
However, Israel denied claims that its forces had penetrated Syrian territory further than the buffer zone with the Golan Heights. The UN’s special envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, cautioned Israel on its actions in violation of the 1974 agreement between Israel and Syria regarding their territorial boundaries. Several Middle Eastern countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, have accused Israel of taking advantage of the situation in Syria.
Another significant development includes the appointment of Mohammed al-Bashir as Syria’s interim prime minister after playing a key role in bringing down Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Al-Bashir, who previously headed the rebel-led Salvation government, will lead the transitional government until 2025. Additionally, various European countries have halted asylum applications for Syrians, while Iran has been urged to halt its nuclear escalation by Britain, France, and Germany. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also appeared in court for his long-running corruption trial.
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