Israeli Military Deploys Umbrella Brigade Troops In Syria's Supporting Zone

Israeli Payung Falls Brigade troops enter Syria's buffer zone. (Source: IDF)

JAKARTA - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would do everything it could to ensure their safety, along with developments in the situation in Syria, including by increasing attacks on arsenals and the limited presence of its troops.

Syrian rebels said they had ousted President Assad's government after seizing control of Damascus on Sunday, ending his family's autocratic rule for decades after more than 13 years of civil war.

Later, Assad and his family were found to be in Russia. The Kremlin said the asylum decision was given by President Vladimir Putin.

"We are taking all necessary measures to try to ensure our safety in connection with the new situation in Syria," PM Netanyahu said at a late-night press conference at his office without elaborating.

Earlier, Israeli Defense Minister Katz said the military would "destroy heavy strategic weapons throughout Syria, including surface-to-air missiles, air defense systems, surface-to-surface missiles, cruise missiles, long-range rockets, and coastal missiles".

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel was not interested in interfering in Syria's internal affairs and only cared about defending its citizens.

"That's why we attack strategic weapons systems such as, for example, remaining chemical weapons or missiles and long-range rockets so as not to fall into the hands of extremists," Foreign Minister Saar told reporters in Jerusalem.

Previously, Israel had cleared landmines and built new barriers on the border between the occupied Golan Heights, as well as a demilitarized path bordering Syria in October.

Sunday morning, the military said it had sent ground troops to the demilitarized zone, a 400-square km buffer zone (155 square miles) made under the 1974 Troops Separation Agreement and supervised by the UN Release Observer Force (UNDOF).

Israel Defense Forces released a new recording showing the Umbrella Falls Brigade deployed to the buffer zone on the border between Israel and Syria, quoted from The Times of Israel.

Yesterday, the 210th Regional Division of the IDF, which served in the Golan Heights region, began deploying troops to the buffer zone within the Syrian territory, including above the Syrian side of Mount Hermon.

The IDF, stressed that its troop deployment to the buffer zone was defensive and temporary action amid chaos in the country following the fall of the Assad regime, but may remain there for a long time depending on its development.

Parachuting forces and other troops carried out defensive operations "to prevent any threats," the military said.

According to the IDF, troops were deployed to certain strategic positions in the buffer zone to prevent unidentified gunmen from being in the area.

Foreign Minister Saar said the presence of troops was very limited.

"Basically close to our borders, sometimes a few hundred meters, sometimes one mile or two miles," he said.

"This is a very limited and temporary step we are taking for security reasons."