Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Israel swiftly took action by targeting nearly 500 Syrian military assets to prevent them from falling into rebel hands. This included destroying the navy and claiming to have eliminated 90% of Syria's known surface-to-air missiles. One significant prize for Israel was the capture of Mount Hermon summit, the highest peak in Syria. While Israeli officials have stated that the occupation is temporary, the strategic importance of this location cannot be understated.
The summit of Mount Hermon, located in a buffer zone that separated Israeli and Syrian forces for fifty years, was recently taken control of by Israeli troops. This area was previously demilitarized and patrolled by UN peacekeepers. Israel's Defense Minister has ordered the military to prepare for winter deployment in the harsh conditions of the region.
