Following intense Israeli raids that have not stopped since Sunday, Israeli defense minister Israel Katz on Tuesday announced the “successful” destruction of the Syrian fleet.
The statements came during Katz’s visit to the naval base in Haifa, accompanied by the Commander in Chief of the Israeli Navy, David Saar Salama, according to the Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.
As part of the visit, Katz was briefed by the commanders of the operational activities of the various fleets and details about the extensive operation carried out by the navy to destroy the Syrian fleet using missile ships.
The minister said during his visit: “The Israeli army has been working in Syria over the past few days to destroy the strategic capabilities that threaten the state of Israel.”
A message to the armed factions
Katz addressed the armed factions that overthrew the regime of Bashar al-Assad, saying: “I warn the leaders of the rebels in Syria from here, whoever follows the path of Assad will end up like him.”
He continued: “We will not allow an extremist entity to act against Israel outside its borders and endanger its citizens, we will do whatever is necessary to remove the threat.”
“The Israeli army is now completing its presence in the buffer zone and areas under control in order to protect the residents of the Golan Heights and the citizens of the state of Israel.”
In cooperation with Israeli’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Katz added that they issued instructions to the Israeli army to establish a sterile protection zone from weapons and “terrorist” threats in southern Syria, without a permanent Israeli presence.
Katz justified this by preventing the establishment of a “terrorist” organization in Syria and enabling conditions would be similar to what happened in Lebanon and Gaza before October 7, adding that this and any threats against the state of Israel would not be allowed.
