DAMASCUS, Syria — Israeli forces launched numerous airstrikes as their ground troops reportedly advanced within 25 kilometers of Damascus, according to a Syrian opposition war monitor on Tuesday. Israel denied its forces were moving towards the capital.
Associated Press reporters in Damascus heard intense airstrikes overnight and into Tuesday morning, targeting the city and its surrounding areas. Images online showed damaged missile launchers, helicopters, and aircraft.
The insurgent groups controlling Damascus, primarily Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have not yet responded.
Israel had previously announced the re-establishment of a buffer zone created after the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, citing the need to prevent attacks following the recent overthrow of President Bashar Assad.
Israel has also stated that it targets suspected chemical weapons sites and heavy weaponry to prevent them from falling into extremist hands. Israeli officials rarely confirm individual strikes.
Israel has a history of territorial gains during wars, often citing security concerns. The Golan Heights, captured from Syria in 1967, were annexed by Israel, a move not internationally recognized except by the United States.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, monitoring the conflict since its start nearly 14 years ago, reported over 300 Israeli airstrikes across Syria since the rebels ousted Assad over the weekend.
Both the Observatory and Beirut-based Mayadeen TV reported Israeli troop movements along the Syrian-Lebanese border. Independent verification of these reports is unavailable.
Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesperson, dismissed reports of Israeli tank advances towards Damascus as false. He stated that Israeli troops are positioned within the buffer zone for defensive purposes.
Israel’s military previously indicated that troops would deploy within the buffer zone and other locations deemed necessary for its defense.
Israeli media reported that the air force systematically destroyed Syrian military assets, aiming to force any future regime to rebuild its military capabilities.
Yossi Yehoshua, military correspondent for Yediot Ahronot, described the operations as systematically destroying the remnants of Assad’s military, targeting numerous arms depots to prevent them from falling into hostile hands.
“Dozens upon dozens of targets, including arms depots of various kinds, have been hit in waves of attacks so as to prevent them from falling into hostile hands and from posing a threat to Israel.” The air force “currently enjoys complete freedom of action,” he added.
Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia condemned Israel’s incursion, accusing it of exploiting the Syrian situation and violating international law.
Turkey, opposed to Assad, also condemned Israel’s actions, accusing it of acting like an occupying force at a time when peace prospects had emerged in Syria.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric stated that Israel’s incursion violates the 1974 disengagement agreement and urged both Israel and Syria to adhere to it.
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Mroue reported from Beirut and Lidman from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writer Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, contributed to this report.