(MENAFN) Saudi Arabia has condemned Israel’s recent military actions in Syria, accusing the country of sabotaging efforts to restore stability in the war-torn nation. Israeli troops advanced into Syrian territory over the weekend, seizing the demilitarized buffer zone (DMZ) that had been in place since the 1973 Yom Kippur War. This area lies adjacent to the Golan Heights, which Israel has occupied since the 1967 Six-Day War.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also conducted airstrikes on Syrian targets over the weekend, continuing into Monday and Tuesday morning. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry called these actions a violation of international law, highlighting that they are hindering Syria’s attempts to regain security, stability, and territorial integrity.

Iraq and Qatar joined Saudi Arabia in condemning Israel’s actions, with Iraq urging the UN Security Council to address the "aggression." Syria’s UN envoy also called for an end to Israeli attacks, warning that Syria must not be allowed to destabilize further during its transition. Israel’s ambassador to the UN responded, claiming that Israeli actions were necessary to counter threats posed by armed groups near the Golan Heights.

These developments followed the fall of Syria’s government, with opposition forces, including the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), seizing Damascus and forcing President Bashar al-Assad to flee to Moscow after negotiations with armed factions.

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