Israel hits Syrian sites, orders complete occupation of buffer zone amid Assad fall

Israel, currently waging a war in Gaza and accused of violating its ceasefire in Lebanon, has hit a number of Syrian regime sites, hours after the fall of Bashar Al-Assad, Israeli media reported.

Israeli forces began striking a number of suspected chemical weapons stockpiles and long-rockets since Friday,  Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar confirmed.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Sa’ar said: "We attacked strategic weapon systems like, for example, remaining chemical weapons or long-range missiles and rockets in order that they will not fall in the hands of extremists".

Sa’ar said the strikes were carried out as "precautionary measure" in the "interest of Israel and protecting its citizens" while Tel Aviv continues to monitor the ongoing situation in Syria, amid the fall of the Assad's regime after decades of Baathist rule.

Israeli fighter jets also struck dozens of regime-linked targets on Sunday, citing similar reasons. On Monday, Israel continued to target positions of the deposed Syrian regime's army.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), said Israeli forces struck multiple locations across south and coastal Syria, in overnight strikes.

"Since the initial hours after the announcement of the fall of the former regime, Israel began launching intensive air strikes, deliberately destroying weapons and ammunitions depots," the war monitor said.

AFP photos on Monday showed damage at Mazzeh military airport on the outskirts of Damascus, including destroyed helicopters and jets, where the Israeli military struck nearby weapons depots.

Israel has carried out numerous strikes in Syria over the years, claiming it targets Iran and Hezbollah-linked interests. Israel, however, rarely comments on these strikes.

Israel’s strikes in Syria have intensified since the start of its war in Gaza and in Lebanon over the past year. Scores have been killed since.

In April, Israel forces hit the Iranian consulate in Damascus, killing 16 people, including eight officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and two Syrian civilians.

The move exacerbated tensions between Iran and Israel, triggering an Iranian retaliatory attack in the same month.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the military to "destroy heavy strategic weapons throughout Syria, including surface-to-air missiles, air defence systems, surface-to-surface missiles, cruise missiles, long-range rockets and coastal missiles," the Times of Israel said.

Another minister, cited by the Israeli outlet, said intensified strikes over the coming days "should be expected".

Katz has reportedly ordered the Israeli army to completely "control" the buffer zone between Israel and Syria in the occupied Golan Heights, after troops were deployed on Saturday shortly after the ousting of the Syrian regime.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that the 1974 border agreement with Syria has "collapsed", shortly the Assad regime fell.

Israel has occupied the Syrian Golan Heights since in 1967 following the Six-Day War, annexing two thirds of the territory in 1981 in a move not recognised by the international community. 

The buffer zone was established in 1974, separating the Israeli-held and Syrian territories, with UN peacekeepers stationed there since.

Agencies contributed to this report.