IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir visited the 210th Division (the regional division responsible for the Syrian border) Wednesday, where he held an operational situational assessment and toured southern Syria. During the visit, Zamir made it clear that the IDF is actively monitoring developments in the arena and will not allow hostile forces to establish a foothold near the Israeli border. The visit comes just days after Israel reportedly struck an airfield in the Idlib area in what was a possible effort to prevent Turkish recommissioning of the defunct Abu Duhur airbase.
GOC Northern Command Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo accompanied Zamir alongside 210th Division Commander Brig. Gen. Yair Palai, 474th Brigade Commander Col. Y., and other senior military figures. As they toured the region, the chief of staff engaged with reserve troops in the field, expressing deep appreciation for their ongoing operations in the sector.
"We are operating in a multi-arena reality, where challenges constantly shift and evolve," Zamir said. "The Syrian arena is one of them. We see what is unfolding and are closely tracking the changes on the Syrian front. We must prepare for them accordingly. We will not allow hostile forces to establish themselves on our borders, and we will know how to project our power with precision – exactly where and when it is needed."
The military must "prevent the development of terror threats, and simultaneously prevent the formation of a significant military threat on our borders," the chief of staff added. "In Syria as well, we have created a forward defense zone that serves as a buffer at the front of the communities, and our forces are operating within it," he noted.
Zamir also addressed the looming threat of renewed flare-ups across various fronts. "We are still in a multi-arena war, vigilant and operating in all arenas," he cautioned. "An escalation could develop in any one of them, and we must be in constant readiness for this."
Turning his attention to the reserve troops, the chief of staff said, "I want to express deep appreciation to the reserve forces who are here. I met a high-quality and professional reserve battalion here, reservists who have served hundreds of days since the beginning of the war." He acknowledged the heavy burden placed on the servicemembers and their families, stressing that he is actively working to ease their load.
