Syria · 10 September, 2026 · 3 min read
Benjamin Netanyahu Visits Mount Hermon, Says Israel Controls From Mount Hermon To Yarmouk River
Netanyahu toured Mount Hermon inside the occupied Syrian territory with Defense Minister Katz. Israel maintains absolute control from Mount Hermon to the Yarmouk River.
17 outlets, one story, no spin found.
10 of 11 outlets skipped it: UN commission said Israel’s presence could be a 'belligerent occupation'.
17outlets compared
Mount Hermon visit
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Mount Hermon area in occupied Syrian territory on Wednesday, accompanied by Defense Minister Israel Katz, and asserted that Israel maintains “absolute control” over a stretch extending from Mount Hermon to the Yarmouk River.
“Damascus is here, Lebanon is there, and the Syrian Golan Heights are there, and we control the entire area”
Netanyahu said in a video that “Damascus is here, Lebanon is there, and the Syrian Golan Heights are there, and we control the entire area, from Mount Hermon to the Yarmouk River,” and he pledged not to allow “any terrorist army to entrench its presence on our borders.”
Syria condemned the entry “in the strongest terms” as an illegitimate act, and its Foreign Ministry said the visit was a “provocative step and a flagrant violation of Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international law.”
France 24 reported that Netanyahu’s trip drew condemnation from Damascus as a “blatant violation” of sovereignty, while Anadolu Ajansı said Syria called the visit a “provocation” and a violation of sovereignty and international law.
Katz, in a separate video, told Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that “we are here on Mount Hermon, we are in the security zone, and we will not move from here,” and he threatened Iran by saying “We have struck it twice, and when necessary we will strike it a third time.”
Threats and counterclaims
Netanyahu linked his Mount Hermon message to the broader regional fight against Iran, saying “There is still work to be done – the main task is to bring down the terror regime in Iran. We are very close to that,” and he added that “the entire axis will ultimately collapse.”
In the same context, Katz threatened Iran, telling reporters that “We have struck it twice, and when necessary we will strike it a third time, in order to continue thwarting the threats,” according to France 24.
Syria’s Foreign Ministry said the visit constituted a “provocative démarche that constitutes a flagrant violation of sovereignty,” and it condemned Netanyahu’s “illegal entry” and tour of Mount Hermon.
Le Monde reported that Syria condemned the “illegal entry” of Netanyahu into Syrian territory and his visit to Mount Hermon, and it quoted the ministry’s statement that it was a “provocative démarche” and “flagrant violation.”
Haaretz framed Netanyahu’s vow as a promise to prevent a “terror army” on Israel’s border, reporting that he toured Mount Hermon’s summit and said Israel “will not allow any terror army to establish itself on our border.”
What’s at stake
The Syrian Foreign Ministry warned that continued Israeli incursions and attacks inside Syrian territory represent a “dangerous escalation” that threatens regional security and stability, and it held Israel responsible for the consequences of the violations.
“threatens regional security and stability”
Syria called for a return to the 1974 disengagement agreement, which it said Israel must respect, and it urged the United Nations, international organizations, and influential states to intervene to stop the attacks and return to the agreement.
Al-Jazeera Net reported that the 1974 disengagement agreement between Syria and Israel aimed to separate opposing forces and disengage them, and it said Israel announced the breakdown of the agreement on December 8, 2024, deciding to occupy the Syrian border area of Mount Hermon adjacent to the occupied Golan.
Cadena 3 Argentina said Israeli troops moved to a buffer zone under UN supervision and to other areas in southern Syria after the downfall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024, and it noted that a UN commission stated Israel’s presence could be considered a “belligerent occupation.”
With the visit occurring alongside preparations for a Knesset election scheduled for October, Anadolu Ajansı reported that Syria condemned the “illegal entry” and called it a “blatant violation” of sovereignty, territorial integrity and international law, while Israel’s leaders said they would not withdraw from the security zone.