Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu addressed the press on Monday evening, emphasizing that in just 14 months, Israel had dismantled a terrorist infrastructure that Iran had spent 45 years constructing on Israel’s borders.
Netanyahu’s comments came in the wake of the rapid collapse of the Syrian regime to rebel forces, who swiftly advanced to Damascus. This occurred shortly after Israel’s significant victory in a defensive conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Iran had heavily invested in Hezbollah, equipping and financing the group not only to target Israel but also to exert control over Lebanese politics. Hezbollah also played a key role as the Syrian regime’s frontline force against Sunni militias during the Syrian conflict.
Additionally, Iran provided substantial backing to Hamas, originally a Sunni organization, transforming it into a group dependent on Iran’s Shiite regime for weapons, training, and other critical support.
Israel has severely weakened Hezbollah and inflicted substantial damage on Hamas in Gaza.
Despite these setbacks, Iran retains influence through proxy militias in Iraq that intermittently launch missiles and drones at Israel. The Iranian regime also supports the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who recently attacked Israel with a drone. Furthermore, Iran is smuggling weapons into Judea and Samaria (commonly known as the West Bank) to destabilize both the Palestinian Authority and Israel.
Netanyahu described these developments as an opportunity for a fresh start in the region, reaffirming his desire to establish positive relations with Syria. Meanwhile, he confirmed that Israeli forces would maintain a presence in areas that were previously demilitarized between Israel and Syria, including Mount Hermon, a strategically significant peak that once housed Syrian military operations.
The prime minister underscored the critical importance of the Golan Heights, highlighting their role as a protective buffer for Israel against the turmoil in Syria. He reminded reporters of his previous efforts to persuade U.S. President Donald Trump to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, territory captured in the 1967 defensive war after years of Syrian artillery attacks on Israeli communities in the Galilee valley below.
Netanyahu also drew attention to the plight of the 100 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza. He expressed confidence that the diminishing strength of Iran’s proxies and Iran’s own instability would eventually compel Hamas to negotiate.
{Matzav.com}