Overview
- Netanyahu visited an IDF outpost inside the UN‑patrolled zone with defense, foreign and security chiefs, observed the sector, held a briefing, and met troops.
- His office released photos showing him in protective gear, and he said the deployments are crucial for border security and to safeguard Druze communities.
- Syria called the trip illegal and a dangerous sovereignty violation, while UN officials, Russia and Qatar urged adherence to the 1974 disengagement accord.
- Israel has held new positions in southern Syria, including on Mount Hermon, since Assad’s 2024 ouster, and senior officials indicate they will not give them up.
- U.S.-facilitated Israel–Syria talks are reported to be at an impasse over Israeli retention of nine posts and a proposed Sweida humanitarian corridor that Damascus rejects.