Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz visited territories captured by Israeli forces in southern Syria and issued sharp statements from there, which will undoubtedly further escalate the already tense situation in the region.
He explicitly challenged Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, while also targeting Turkey's military presence in Syria, which Katz believes poses a direct threat to Israel's national security.
The Israeli defense minister stressed that his country will under no circumstances abandon Mount Hermon and other captured positions, as they are of strategic importance for border defense.
Katz specifically addressed Turkey, arguing that its efforts to consolidate influence in Syrian territory directly threaten Israel's interests, and that they will not remain indifferent to this process.
Turkish media have already reacted to these statements, branding them as arrogant and as a move directly targeting Turkey.
These remarks are not particularly unexpected, but it is important to view them in the context of the new balance of power in the region. Israel is clearly trying to send a signal to both Damascus and Ankara, showing that it is prepared to respond harshly to any competition in an area it considers its zone of influence.
At the same time, maintaining its military presence in northern Syria is a matter of vital interest for Turkey, so Katz's statements will most likely draw a response. The question is whether these mutual threats will remain at the level of rhetoric or lead to military clashes, which would further destabilize an already shaken region.
