Israel pounded Syria with hundreds of airstrikes Tuesday, eliminating most of the country’s strategic weapons stockpiles in a move officials say will prevent the dangerous weapons from falling into the hands of extremists.
Following the stunning collapse of Syria’s government — which saw President Bashar al-Assad fleeing to Russia — the Israeli military said it conducted over 350 strikes on targets including anti-aircraft batteries, military airfields, weapons production sites, combat aircraft and missiles.
The strikes were carried out so that rebel groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State — which drove Assad out — would not gain access to the weaponry, Israeli officials said.
“We have no intention of interfering in Syria’s internal affairs, but we clearly intend to do what is necessary to ensure our security,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
“I authorized the air force to bomb strategic military capabilities left by the Syrian army, so that they would not fall into the hands of the jihadists,” Netanyahu added.
Israeli missiles also struck the Syrian naval facilities of Al-Bayda port and Latakia port, where 15 Syrian naval ships were docked.
After Assad fled with his family to Russia on Sunday, Israeli troops moved into the demilitarized zone inside Syria and overtook an abandoned Syrian military post.
An Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson said troops remained in the buffer zone, but denied reports that forces had gone significantly beyond that area or were advancing toward the capital of Damascus.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel plans to establish a demilitarized zone in southern Syria.
Katz said the army would make a “defense zone free of weapons and terrorist threats in southern Syria, without permanent Israeli presence, in order to prevent terrorism in Syria from taking root.”
While declining to provide additional details on the plan, Katz warned Syria’s rebels that “whoever follows Assad’s path will end up like Assad.”
Katz and other leaders have long warned that the border between Syria and Lebanon could be used to smuggle weapons to Hezbollah militants.
“We will not allow an extremist Islamic terrorist entity to act against Israel,” Katz said.
With Post wires
