Israeli navy obliterates Syrian fleet amid rising tensions
Israeli missile ships attacked and destroyed Syria's naval fleet, Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz announced. The operation took place on Monday evening.
Minister Katz emphasized that the operation was part of a broader campaign aimed at eliminating strategic threats to Israel.
"The Israeli army has conducted operations in Syria in recent days to strike and destroy strategic capabilities that threaten the state of Israel. The navy successfully conducted an operation last night to destroy the Syrian fleet," Katz stated in a communication.
The Israeli armed forces are currently deployed in the buffer zone between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Minister Katz noted that he ordered the creation of a "sterile defense zone" in southern Syria to prevent any terrorist threats without establishing a permanent Israeli presence there.
Minister Katz warned the new Syrian leaders not to follow "the path of Assad," the Syrian dictator overthrown on Sunday. This clear message is intended to discourage actions that could threaten Israel's security.
The rebellion captures Damascus
At the end of November, Syrian rebels began an attack on territories controlled by Bashar al-Assad's regime. To the surprise of many, the government army did not put up much resistance. In just over a week, the rebels managed to reach Damascus.
Dictator Bashar al-Assad is reported—according to state-run Russian media—to have fled to Moscow with his family.
The civil war in Syria began in 2011, against the backdrop of the army's aggressive response to protesting civilians. It is estimated that more than half a million people have died as a result of the fighting and bombings. Over 6 million people have fled the country.
