Netanyahu visits troops in occupied Syria as Damascus slams 'blatant violation' of sovereignty

NEW: Netanyahu visits Israeli troops in occupied Syria for a third time, drawing fresh condemnation from Damascus over a 'blatant violation' of sovereignty, and repeats his claim that Iran's government is on the verge of collapse.

Benjamin Netanyahu just walked into Syria for the third time.

He was on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon on Wednesday, visiting Israeli troops who've been dug into a so-called security zone there since Assad fell in December 2024. Israeli positions like this one now overlook Syrian territory that a UN buffer zone used to separate.

Damascus called it a blatant violation of its sovereignty and international law. Netanyahu's answer was to repeat that Iran's regime is on the verge of collapse, saying the main task is to bring it down and that Israel is very close. His defence minister, Israel Katz, went further, filming a message aimed at Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa, sitting thirty five kilometres away in Damascus. His words, we are on Mount Hermon and we are not moving from here.

Six months into this war, Israel isn't just holding ground inside Syria. Its ministers are standing on it, on camera, daring anyone to object.

This is Liu Yang, reporting for HIT.