Israeli Forces Raid Syrian Base Near Damascus, Netanyahu Confirms Demilitarization Talks

Israeli forces conducted a significant raid on a former air defense base in southern Syria on Wednesday, marking their farthest operation inside the country since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad last December. The strategic site, located near al-Kiswah, approximately 10km south of Damascus, was previously utilized by Iranian militias during Assad’s rule.

The operation followed earlier Israeli strikes in the same vicinity, which Syrian state media reported killed six Syrian troops on Tuesday as they attempted to dismantle Israeli listening and spying devices. Israeli warplanes and drones reportedly prevented Syrian forces from accessing the area until late Wednesday night, after the Israeli troops had departed. A Syrian military source told Al Jazeera that dozens of Israeli personnel arrived in four helicopters and spent over two hours at the site, though their exact activities remain unconfirmed.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz commented on X that forces were “operating in all combat zones day and night for the security of Israel” without offering further details on the specific raid. The Syrian foreign ministry condemned the strikes as a violation of international law and national sovereignty.

Adding a new dimension to the escalating tensions, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu implicitly acknowledged contact with the new Syrian government on Thursday night. In a video statement, Netanyahu confirmed ongoing discussions focused on three key objectives: protecting the Druze community in Syria, establishing a demilitarized zone stretching from the Golan Heights to Sweida, and creating a humanitarian corridor for aid delivery.

These developments come despite high-level security talks between Syrian and Israeli officials, mediated by the US special envoy Tom Barrack, which took place in Paris and Azerbaijan earlier this month. The US aims to facilitate a security agreement and potentially normalize relations between the two long-time adversaries, though officials caution that a comprehensive agreement will require time and further negotiations.

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