Syria condemns the "illegal entry" of the Israeli Defense Minister into its territory and calls for an international stance to compel Tel Aviv to halt its repeated violations

Syria condemned what it described as the “illegal entry” of Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz into its territory, following a rare visit he made to Israeli forces stationed in southern Syria. In a statement carried by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the Syrian Foreign Ministry denounced Katz’s “illegal entry” and “crossing the international borders of the Arab Republic of Syria,” calling it a blatant violation of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The ministry called on the international community to take “the necessary measures to compel the occupation authorities to halt repeated violations.” It stressed that “these hostile practices constitute a clear provocation and a violation of international law, the UN Charter, and Syria’s obligations under the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and its mandated ceasefire lines, which must not be crossed.” The Israeli Defense Minister made a rare visit to Israeli troops in southern Syria, reiterating his commitment to keeping them in the area as long as there are “threats” to the security of Tel Aviv. According to a video statement issued by his office, Katz said, “As long as there are threats, the Israeli army will remain here to ensure our security. This is what we have done, and this is what we intend to continue doing in the future.”