The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted an airstrike on a chemical weapons facility belonging to the former Assad regime in Syria, according to Arab media reports later confirmed by The Jerusalem Post.
Military sources indicated the strike aimed to prevent dangerous weapons from falling into the hands of rebel groups as the Assad regime appears to be collapsing. The IDF has carried out thousands of similar strikes in Syria over the past decade to prevent advanced weapons proliferation.
The military action comes as Syrian rebel forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have made major advances toward Damascus. Reports indicate former President Bashar al-Assad has fled the country as rebels captured strategic cities including Homs and Daraa.
In response to the rapidly changing situation, the IDF has reinforced its presence along the Golan Heights border region. Israeli tanks have been positioned at key defensive points, with some forces crossing slightly into Syrian territory to establish a buffer zone.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi visited the Syrian border on Saturday, stating that forces were "monitoring to ensure that local elements aren't moving in our direction" and maintaining readiness for various scenarios.
The military emphasized it would not interfere in Syria's internal matters unless Israeli security interests were threatened. However, the potential transfer of chemical weapons to extremist groups has been a longstanding red line for Israel.
As Damascus reportedly falls to rebel forces and Assad's regime crumbles, the situation presents new security challenges for Israel, which is already engaged in conflicts with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The rapid rebel advances have displaced over 370,000 people in just one week according to UN figures, while international powers closely monitor the evolving situation amid concerns about the security of chemical weapons stockpiles.