DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Israel carried out a wave of heavy airstrikes across Syria as its troops advanced deeper into the country, a Syrian opposition war monitor said Tuesday, and the Israeli defense minister announced that his forces had destroyed Syria’s navy.

Israel acknowledged pushing into a buffer zone inside Syria following the overthrow of President Bashar Assad. But it remained unclear if Israeli soldiers had gone beyond that area, which was established more than 50 years ago. Israel denied that it was advancing on the Syrian capital of Damascus.

The Israeli military said Tuesday that it carried out more than 350 strikes in Syria over the last 48 hours, hitting “most of the strategic weapons stockpiles” in the country to stop them from falling into the hands of extremists.

The targets included air defense systems, military airfields, missile depots and dozens of weapons production sites in Damascus and other cities. Associated Press reporters in the capital heard heavy airstrikes overnight and into Tuesday morning.

Israeli missile ships also simultaneously struck two Syrian navy facilities, where the military said 15 Syrian naval vessels were docked. Israel did not specify how many vessels it struck, but the private security firm Ambrey said it had seen evidence that at least six Soviet-era missile ships were hit.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel intended to establish a demilitarized zone in southern Syria.

Speaking at a navy base in Haifa, Katz said the army will create a “defense zone free of weapons and terrorist threats in southern Syria, without a permanent Israeli presence, in order to prevent terrorism in Syria from taking root.”

He gave few details on what that entailed, but warned Syria’s rebels that “whoever follows Assad’s path will end up like Assad. We will not allow an extremist Islamic terrorist entity to act against Israel.” Israel has also long warned that the Syria-Lebanon border could be used to smuggle weapons to Hezbollah militants.

  • @mlg
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    217 hours ago

    So basically Israel airstriking all of Assad’s military assets because they don’t want the rebels to form them into their forces because they want to ensure a full military advantage.

    Dunno how much the rebels will care since they only succeeded due to Assad losing his Russian and Iranian supply chain anyway, but it’s very clearly an attempt to limit their ability to expand.

    They’re afraid Syria could pose a geopolitical threat or god forbid actually defend their existence with a real navy or airforce.

  • @[email protected]
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    682 days ago

    I am sure, sure, that no Isreali settlers are salivating over the “free” real estate.

    • granolabar
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      222 days ago

      Visit your nearest synagogue for the pre sale party, they work like tapperware except you got a little of throughly blood soaked holy land.

      This is what the rules based international world order looks like. US taxpayer pays good money for it.

      • @SulaymanF
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        372 days ago

        I was shocked to learn that synagogues in NY and CA were actually holding auctions on Gaza land. It’s atrocious.

    • @scarabic
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      017 hours ago

      “We’re not trying to steal land, just to create a buffer around land we already stole.”

    • @TommySoda
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      92 days ago

      I’m sure this time next week or next month they’ll miraculously find a reason to do so.

  • @[email protected]
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    482 days ago

    It’s crazy that if Israel wants a demilitarized buffer zone it has to happen in another county, not their own, and be seized by their military.

    • @[email protected]
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      212 days ago

      It’s because the soldiers need somewhere to work, so they build fortifications. And live, so they build housing. And their families, so they build towns. And now it’s Israeli territory.

      • @kn33
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        418 hours ago

        And by god we need a buffer zone for that territory!

    • @[email protected]
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      224 hours ago

      It’s what god wants!

      Which reminds me of a joke:

      A priest, an imam and a rabbi get together every month to discuss how to fleece their sheep and they confer on the matter of tithes in their respective religion. The priest says “we gather all the tithes, draw a circle on the church floor, throw up the money and whatever falls into the circle is what god, in all his omnipotence, wants to go to the church”. The imam laughs and says they do something similar. “Except, with us, we take what falls outside the cirlce to go back into the community.” Both look at the rabbi who’s known to always come up with the best ideas, and who replies: “We don’t even need to draw a circle - our god is so powerful that he just takes whatever he needs before it comes back down.”

      • @[email protected]
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        61 day ago

        Lmao as if the Bible were an accurate source for who land should belong to. Even back when it was written, it wouldn’t have been a reliable source.

        • granolabar
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          -51 day ago

          When a guy with a gun it is, that’s what it is…

          This is the rules based international world order ran by the US and its alliance. US taxpayer pays for it. Greater Israel is happening

  • @Windex007
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    231 day ago

    “If you act like Assad you’ll end up like Assad”, they said to the guys who ended Assad for being Assad.

    • @Stamau123OP
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      31 day ago

      I also thought that was laughable

  • @[email protected]
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    201 day ago

    Israel is totally moving “settlers” into Syria asap. The “southern demilitarised zone” will soon be “Northern Israel” and Israel will be all like “this was always Israel, those people that have been in that 3000 year old concentration camp for generations are all illegal immigrants, how dare they be mad at us for imprisoning them and taking their shit?!”

  • Flying SquidM
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    141 day ago

    “Spain and Norway have steadfastly clung to their demand that the Israelis return to their 1977 borders.”

    Not a good movie, but disturbingly prescient.