Israel Expresses Concern Over Assad Regime Collapse and Prepares for Potential Fallout
Israel’s public broadcaster reported on Friday that Tel Aviv fears the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and is preparing for all possible consequences, including the risk of strategic weapons falling into the hands of Syrian opposition forces.
The broadcaster noted, “Israel is closely monitoring the progress of opposition factions in Syria and the retreat of regime forces with growing concern.”
Since November 27, Syrian opposition factions have been engaged in clashes with regime forces. On November 29, the opposition entered the city of Aleppo, followed by the capture of Idlib province the next day. By Thursday, they had taken control of the city of Hama.
Channel 13 reported on Friday that discussions within the Israeli military and defense establishment continued throughout Thursday night regarding the fall of Hama and the ongoing developments in Syria.
“The Israeli military is preparing for the rapid collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s army and the implications for the situation in Syria,” the channel stated, adding, “Preparations are also underway for potential developments along the border with Syria in the Golan Heights.”
Similarly, Channel 12 reported, “Israel recognizes that the Syrian army may be on the verge of collapse and is preparing accordingly. A special security meeting was convened on Thursday to address this issue.”
The channel further noted, “Israel was surprised by the weakness of the Syrian army, which is losing city after city. Israeli intelligence indicates that Assad’s army has failed both professionally and in terms of leadership.”
The broadcaster highlighted that Israel’s security establishment is concerned about strategic weapons falling into opposition hands, with the Israeli military taking measures to address such scenarios, though further details were not provided.
On Thursday evening, the Israeli military announced that Defense Minister Yisrael Katz and Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi held a situation assessment meeting with members of the General Staff regarding developments in Syria.
“The Israeli army is closely monitoring the events and preparing for all scenarios, both offensively and defensively,” the military stated, adding that it “will not allow any threat to emerge near the border with Syria and will act to thwart any threat to Israeli citizens.”
In addition to Aleppo, Idlib, and Hama, opposition factions on Friday morning seized the cities of Rastan and Talbiseh in central Homs province. The opposition asserts that their ultimate goal is to overthrow Bashar al-Assad.
