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IDF presence in southern Syria

Lazar Focus podcast
Elizabeth Tsurkov: Sharaa’s Syria is no threat to Israel
By Lazar Berman
The former jihadists ruling Damascus are keen to stay in power, says Middle East scholar, adding that Lebanon's government is trying to avoid civil war, not take on Hezbollah
Defense Minister Israel Katz speaks with Israeli troops in southern Syria, August 25, 2026. (Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry)
August 25, 2026, 7:56 pm
Katz: Israel won’t leave Syria buffer zone so long as ‘jihadist threats’ remain
Defense minister, visiting troops, tells Syrian president ‘when you wake up in Damascus and see IDF on Mount Hermon, know we’re here to defend our communities and border’
By Emanuel Fabian and ToI Staff
Illustrative: Turkish soldiers seen waiting in front of Incirlik military base in Adana in this handout photo released March 12, 2026. (Turkish Defense Ministry/AFP)
August 20, 2026, 12:40 pm
Turkey denies military visit to Syrian base; Damascus confirms it but refutes deployment plan
Ankara says no military delegation was at airbase ‘before or during Israel’s attack’; Al-Shaibani says Damascus told Jerusalem no Turkish troops were deploying to Abu Duhur
By ToI Staff, Agencies and Nava Freiberg
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discusses an Israeli airstrike in Syria, in a podcast interview, August 19, 2026. (Screenshot via X)
August 19, 2026, 11:18 pm
‘Don’t’: Netanyahu says he warned Turkey before Israel struck Syrian base
PM says message now conveyed ‘more clearly’ to Ankara; sources say Mossad chief discussed issue last week with Syrian FM; Ehud Barak calls escalation ‘reckless and stupid’
By ToI Staff and Agencies
A Syrian army checkpoint stands abandoned near the Abu al-Duhur military airport, east of Idlib, after Syrian opposition fighters took control of the area on December 7, 2024. (AP/Omar Albam)
August 18, 2026, 12:49 pm
Syria says Israel struck military airport; US envoy pans Israel’s ‘unnecessary escalation’
Damascus condemns ‘unjustified act of aggression,’ reports material damage but no casualties at base near Turkish border; US’s Barrack says Israel’s actions undermining regional stability
By Emanuel Fabian, Nava Freiberg and Agencies
View of the Israel-Syria border area, as seen from the northern Golan Heights, April 11, 2026. (Michael Giladi/Flash90)
August 11, 2026, 9:49 am
Three settlement activists illegally enter Syria overnight, are detained by IDF
Incident comes amid uptick in fringe group’s attempts to settle southern Syria; IDF hands suspects to police, who have yet to charge any recent offenders
By Emanuel Fabian
The border between Syria and the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights town of Majdal Shams is seen July 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
July 29, 2026, 11:24 am
Fringe settler group has been sneaking into Syria in bid to claim land for Jewish outpost
‘Bashan Pioneers’ regularly cross border in violation of the law; leaders tout support from right-wing ministers, say area must be ‘cleared of enemies’
By Natalie Melzer, ABBY SEWELL and Julia Frankel
View of the Israeli border with Syria, as seen from the northern Golan Heights, April 11, 2026. (Michael Giladi/Flash90)
July 18, 2026, 12:37 am
Settler activists illegally cross into Syria, stay for full day before being nabbed by IDF
Incident marks latest attempt by Bashan Pioneers to establish settlements in Syrian buffer zone; soldiers hand activists over to police, condemn ‘criminal offense’
By Emanuel Fabian
IDF troops operate in southern Syria in a handout photo cleared for publication on August 11, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
June 29, 2026, 8:07 am
IDF says troops fired upon in southern Syria, retaliated with helicopter strike
No injuries caused to Israeli forces in the incident, which took place a day after the military said it killed two gunmen in the Israeli-held buffer zone inside Syria
By Emanuel Fabian
IDF troops operate in southern Syria, in a photo cleared for publication on August 29, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
June 28, 2026, 3:08 pm
IDF troops kill 2 gunmen in south Syria buffer zone, military says
Soldiers spot men described as ‘armed terrorists’ approaching border near Hader, kill them and retain their bodies
By Emanuel Fabian
Observers of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) stand at a position formerly held by the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group in the Khraibeh Valley in el-Meri in south Lebanon on August 27, 2025. (ANWAR AMRO / AFP)
February 6, 2026, 8:35 am
Lebanon accuses Israel of spraying herbicide in border areas
Footage also shows Israeli light aircraft deploying substance over southern Syria; no comment from IDF, which has been working to clear vegetation on northern frontier
By AFP and Emanuel Fabian
View of the first snow this winter on Mount Hermon in Syria, as seen from the northern Golan Heights near the Syrian border, on December 13, 2025. (Michael Giladi/Flash90)
January 6, 2026, 6:06 pm
Israel and Syria agree on mechanism to share intel, seek economic ties
Pact reached on 2nd day of renewed talks; source in Damascus reportedly claims there are indications Israel may agree to regard violence in Druze area of Sweida as internal matter
By Lazar Berman
Illustrative: View of Mount Hermon in Syria, as seen from the northern Golan Heights near the Syrian border, on December 13, 2025. (Michael Giladi/Flash90)
January 5, 2026, 5:47 am
Latest round of Israel-Syria negotiations kicks off in Paris
Netanyahu reportedly agrees to Trump request to renew stalled talks with Damascus, while insisting potential deal must not violate Israeli red lines
By Lazar Berman and Agencies
US President Donald Trump, right, speaks with Syria's President Ahmad al-Sharaa, at the White House in Washington on November 10, 2025. (Syrian Presidency Press Office via AP)
December 21, 2025, 9:51 am
Trump rebuffed Israeli request to keep some sanctions on Syria — report
US president, who signed off on bill lifting Assad-era penalties Thursday, said to have offered ‘compensation’ to Jerusalem, which had hoped to use sanctions relief as bargaining chip
By ToI Staff and AP
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, from right, attends a meeting with US President Donald Trump, not pictured, as Netanyahu's wife Sara Netanyahu, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs listen, in the Blue Room of the White House, July 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP/Alex Brandon)
December 20, 2025, 2:17 am
Dermer’s departure creating vacuum impacting US-Israel ties, Syria talks – report
Ex-minister and Netanyahu confidant said to face legal issues over plan to stay involved as a private citizen; discussions with Syria reportedly frozen over lack of replacement
By ToI Staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) at the plenum hall of the Knesset, December 8, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90); Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (right) arrives at the General Plenary of Leaders at the COP30 UN Climate Change Conference in Belem, Para State, Brazil, on November 6, 2025. (Mauro PIMENTEL / AFP)
December 9, 2025, 3:43 pm
Netanyahu denies report he refused to ink deal with Syria on sidelines of UN in September
PM’s office dismisses ‘fake news’ claim that new security arrangement was ready for signing during General Assembly after months-long US mediation efforts
By ToI Staff and Nava Freiberg
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