Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the occupation that began in the buffer zone after the fall of the Baath regime in Syria's Mount Hermon will continue "until a regulation is found to ensure Israel's security." Speaking in the area occupied by the Israeli army in Mount Hermon after December 7, Netanyahu claimed that the recent developments in Syria have increased the "importance of this area for Israel's security." Sending messages regarding the occupation in the buffer zone at Mount Hermon, Netanyahu expressed, "We will continue to stay in this important location (the occupied buffer zone at Mount Hermon) until another regulation is found to ensure Israel's security." MOUNT HERMON HAS STRATEGIC IMPORTANCENewsWeek pointed out that this marks the first time a sitting Israeli leader has entered Syrian territory, emphasizing that Mount Hermon holds strategic importance due to its height and proximity to Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. Experts speaking to Newsweek argue that Israel's actions violate the 1974 ceasefire agreement and could further destabilize an already unstable region. NEW UNITS DEPLOYEDReports in Israeli media stated that the Israel Defense Forces have deployed new units to the Lebanon and Syria border. ISRAEL'S ATTACKS ON SYRIAFollowing the intensifying clashes in Syria on November 27, coinciding with the collapse of the 61-year-old Baath regime on December 8, the Israeli army increased its attacks on Syria. The Israeli army, which began to destroy the military infrastructure and capabilities left by the regime's army, expanded its occupation in the Golan Heights, which is Syrian territory. The Israeli army, which entered the buffer zone near the Golan Heights, advanced its occupation further, reaching as close as 25 kilometers to the capital Damascus. Israel has been occupying the Golan Heights, which belong to Syria, since 1967. The borders of the buffer zone and the demilitarized zone were defined by the Forces Withdrawal Agreement signed between Israel and Syria in 1974.
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