Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated Tuesday that Israel will maintain its military presence on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon "indefinitely," while also vowing to prevent "hostile forces" from establishing themselves in southern Syria.
"The IDF will remain at the summit of the Hermon and the security zone indefinitely to ensure the security of the communities of the Golan Heights and the north and all the residents of Israel," said Katz during a visit to an army unit currently occupying positions atop Mount Hermon.
Israeli forces captured the Syrian side of the demilitarized buffer zone that runs along the border between the disputed Golan Heights and southern Syria, in the immediate aftermath of the overthrow of former President Bashar Al-Assad.