Netanyahu Claims Israel Is 'Very Close' to Defeating Iran During Visit to Mount Hermon in Syria

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that Israel is “very close” to defeating Iran during a visit to Israeli troops stationed atop Mount Hermon in Syrian territory seized by the IDF following the collapse of the Bashar Assad government.

Netanyahu traveled to the strategic summit on Wednesday accompanied by Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai.

“Damascus is right here, Lebanon is right there, the Syrian Golan Heights are right there,” Netanyahu said in a video released by his office, claiming Israel now exercises “absolute control the likes of which has never been seen before” over the surrounding area.

He said Israel would not allow what he called a “terrorist army” to establish itself along the border before turning his remarks toward Tehran.

“From these peaks, there is still work to do: The main task is to defeat the terrorist regime in Iran,” Netanyahu said. “We are very close to it. We know that the entire axis will ultimately fall. We are committed to doing this, and we will do it.”

Syria condemned Netanyahu’s visit as an “illegal entry” into its territory. The Foreign Ministry called the trip “provocative” and a “blatant violation” of Syrian sovereignty, territorial integrity and international law, and urged the UN and other international actors to press Israel to end its incursions.

Israel seized the Syrian side of Mount Hermon and other positions inside the UN-monitored buffer zone in December 2024, after Assad’s government fell. Israel initially described the deployment as temporary but has since entrenched its presence. Katz said during Wednesday’s visit that Israeli troops were “not moving” from the “security zone.”

A UN commission warned just a day earlier that Israeli military activity inside Syria had become “increasingly sustained and entrenched,” describing Israel’s presence as a “belligerent occupation” and saying some actions against Syrian civilians may amount to war crimes. Israel rejected the findings, insisting it has no territorial ambitions in Syria and maintains the buffer zone solely for security purposes.

Netanyahu’s continued military presence in Syria and southern Lebanon has also put him at odds with Washington. In July, President Donald Trump reportedly urged the Israeli leader to withdraw forces from both countries, warning that “they don’t want you there.”