After Asaad Leaves Position, Netanyahu Says, 'Israeli Forces Seized Buffer Zone In Golan Heights'

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that the Israeli military has temporarily seized control of a demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights, a move with significant geopolitical implications. This buffer zone was established under the 1974 disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria, brokered after the Yom Kippur War, to maintain a ceasefire and create a neutral area between the two nations. Netanyahu stated that the agreement has effectively "collapsed" following the takeover of large parts of Syria by rebel groups amidst the prolonged Syrian Civil War. The shifting dynamics in Syria, including the rise of militant factions and instability along Israel's northern border, have prompted Israel to take preemptive measures to secure its territory.