Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and IDF chief Herzi Halevi at the start of a security cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv, November 16, 2023. (Haim Zach/GPO)

Sun 01 December 2024:

Israel is watching the rebels’ advances in Syria with considerable wariness, with intelligence chiefs telling the political echelon developments in Syria could ultimately spell trouble for Israel, Channel 12 reports.

The Israeli intelligence chiefs reportedly noted that “the latest developments appear to be positive.” But, they are said to have warned, “the collapse of the Assad regime would likely create chaos in which military threats against Israel would develop.”

Channel 12 further reports that concerns were raised at Friday’s security consultation that “strategic capabilities” of the Assad regime could fall into the jihadists’ hands. The prime concern relates to “the remnants of chemical weapons,” the report says.

The IDF is said to be preparing for a scenario where Israel would be required to act, the report says without elaboration.

There is also an assessment that Syria might open its gates to a significant number of Iranian forces in order to try to stabilize the country, the report says.

File: Israeli intelligence chief Brig. Gen. Shlomi Binder in 2017. (Israel Defense Forces)

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US closely monitoring Syria as tensions rise in northwest

The US is closely monitoring the escalating situation in Syria, according to a statement Saturday from National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett, Anadolu Agency reports.

The statement criticized the Assad regime for its refusal to engage in the political process outlined by UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2254.

“The United States has nothing to do with this offensive, which is led by Hay’at Tahir al-Sham (HTS), a designated terrorist organization,” it said.

Savett stressed that the US called for immediate de-escalation, protection of civilians and minority groups, and the initiation of a credible political process to end the Syrian civil war through a settlement aligned with UNSCR 2254.

“We will also continue to fully defend and protect US personnel and US military positions, which remain essential to ensuring that ISIS (Daesh) can never again resurge in Syria,” he added.

Fighting erupted Nov. 27 between Assad regime forces and anti-regime armed groups in the western countryside of Aleppo province in northern Syria.

From Nov. 27 – 28, the anti-regime armed groups made rapid progress from the western countryside toward the city center, capturing much of it by Saturday.

The armed groups took control of Khan Shaykhun later Saturday, establishing control of all of Idlib.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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