Israel attacks Syria

The Israeli military continues to carry out airstrikes in Syria, as the Syrian opposition military coalition moves to establish a transitional government after ousting President Bashar al-Assad.

Israel air strikes?

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Monday (December 10) it had recorded more than 300 Israeli airstrikes since the opposition led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) overthrew Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last weekend, according to AFP. Security sources said intense Israeli airstrikes continued to target military facilities and air bases across Syria on the night of December 9 and early on December 10, destroying dozens of helicopters, warplanes, as well as assets belonging to the presidential guard in and around the capital Damascus.

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Separately, a Syrian security source said on Thursday that Israeli troops had advanced into the southern Syrian city of Qatana, about 25 kilometers (15 miles) from Damascus, after Israel seized a UN-patrolled buffer zone that separates the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights from Syria. The Israeli military has denied advancing into Qatana, according to Reuters.

A Syrian army helicopter burns after an Israeli attack outside Damascus on December 9.

Israel has said it will not get involved in the conflict in Syria and argues that its occupation of the buffer zone is a defensive move. Iran, Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have condemned Israel's occupation of the buffer zone, with Saudi Arabia saying the move would "destroy any chance of restoring security in Syria," according to Reuters.

Opposition moves to form government

After the al-Assad regime was overthrown, Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali agreed on December 9 to hand over power to the Salvation Government, an opposition-led administration based in northwestern Syria. Reuters cited several sources revealing that Mr. al-Jalali met with HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Julani, to discuss the transitional government. Mr. al-Jalali said it could take several days to implement the transfer of power. The transitional government will be headed by the leader of the Salvation Government, Mohamed al-Bashir, according to Al Jazeera Television Network.

In the face of such a situation, governments in the region as well as in the West are trying to create new links with HTS, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, Turkey and the United Nations. Qatari diplomats spoke with HTS representatives on December 9, according to Reuters, citing a source familiar with the matter.

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In addition, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on December 9 that Washington is seeking to reach out to the military opposition groups that overthrew the al-Assad government as well as regional partners to help initiate informal diplomacy. When asked whether the US would cooperate with HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, Mr. Miller declined to answer but did not rule out the possibility, according to Reuters.

Many European countries stop considering asylum applications from Syrians

Many European countries announced on December 9 that they would temporarily suspend the consideration of Syrian asylum applications until further notice, according to Reuters.

The German Interior Ministry has announced that it will not process asylum applications until it has more clarity on the political developments in Syria. Germany is home to nearly one million Syrians, the largest Syrian community in Europe.

Other European countries such as Britain, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway have also announced a temporary halt to considering Syrian asylum applications.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/israel-tan-cong-syria-185241210201357101.htm