Israel said on Tuesday that it had destroyed Syria’s navy in overnight air strikes, as it continued to pound targets in Syria despite warnings that its operations there could ignite new conflict and jeopardise the transition of power to an interim govt. Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, said that the Israeli military had “destroyed Syria’s navy overnight, and with great success.” His remarks appeared to confirm Israel’s responsibility for the destruction documented in the Syrian port city of Latakia, where photos showed the smoldering remains of ships sunk at their dock.
Katz said that Israel’s military “has been operating in Syria in recent days to hit anddestroy strategic capabilities that pose a threat to Israel,” although he did not indicate what new or immediate risk Syria’s navy presented to Israel, which has the most powerful military in West Asia. Israeli warplanes have conducted hundreds of strikes in Syria since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday, according to war monitors. Israel has characterised its operations as defensive, saying its military was striking suspected chemical weapons stockpiles in Syria to prevent them from falling “into the hands of extremists.” “From here, I warn the rebel leaders in Syria: Those who follow Assad’s path will end like Assad,” Katz said.
As the Assad govt fell to the rebels, Israeli ground forces advanced beyond the demilitarised zone on the Israel-Syria border, marking their first overt entry into Syrian territory in over 50 years. An Israeli military spokesman on Tuesday denied reports that the military was advancing on Damascus. The spokesman, Avichay Adraee, said the military was inside a buffer zone between Israel and Syria and at other points “in order to protect the Israeli border.”
Katz also said Israel has ordered its forces to create a “sterile defence zone” in southern Syria. He gave no details but said the zone, would “prevent the establishment and organisation of terror in Syria”.