Israel rules out normalization with Damascus
Shafaq News – Middle East
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Thursday that Iran-backed Houthis and other armed groups in Syria may be preparing attacks on the Golan Heights.
During a closed session of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, excerpts of which aired on Israel’s Kan broadcaster, Katz dismissed the prospect of near-term security arrangements or normalization with Damascus, revealing that Israel is preparing for scenarios in which Syrian forces or associated groups attempt to strike Israeli communities or threaten Druze areas in the Golan region.
Read more: Syria's shifting stance: Is normalization with Israel on the horizon?
His remarks came as the Israeli army launched “Magen Oz-Shield of Strength", a two-day military drill along the Syrian frontier designed to simulate multi-front threats through surprise alerts, rapid force mobilization, air support, and automated supply drops.
US-brokered talks aimed at reaching a security deal—including an Israeli withdrawal from recently seized areas—have reportedly collapsed after Damascus rejected a “proposed humanitarian corridor” to Suwayda as “a breach of sovereignty.”
Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, Israel has intensified operations inside Syria, targeting weapons stockpiles, military convoys, and entrenched positions, while expanding its control in key buffer zones near Mount Hermon (Jabal al-Sheikh).
Read more: Israel's expansion in Syria: A looming threat to Iraq
