In a shocking revelation, Benjamin Netanyahu exposed how Israeli F-16s intercepted Iranian planes in a desperate bid to save Syria’s dictator — changing the course of the Middle East forever.
The fall of Bashar al-Assad in December last year marked a turning point in the Syrian civil war, but what few knew was Israel’s covert role in ensuring his downfall. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently disclosed that Israeli warplanes intercepted Iranian aircraft en route to Syria, preventing Tehran from deploying troops to prop up Assad’s crumbling regime. This bold move not only accelerated the dictator’s collapse but also exposed Iran’s desperation to maintain its grip on the region.
Netanyahu’s revelation came during a speech in Jerusalem, where he detailed how Iran, after witnessing its proxy Hezbollah suffer heavy losses against Israel, sought to reinforce Assad with “one or two airborne divisions.” The Israeli Air Force scrambled F-16s to intercept the Iranian planes, forcing them to turn back. This decisive action crippled Assad’s last hope for survival, leaving his forces vulnerable to the rebel offensive that ultimately toppled him.
The timing of Israel’s intervention was critical. Just as a ceasefire took effect between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, Syrian rebels launched their final assault. With Hezbollah fighters withdrawn from Syria to focus on battling Israel, Assad’s forces were left exposed. A rebel commander later admitted that Hezbollah’s absence was key to their rapid advance, stating, “We looked at the ceasefire and understood — this was our moment.”
Israel’s motives went beyond merely weakening Assad. Intelligence indicated that Iran was exploiting the chaos to smuggle advanced weapons into Lebanon for Hezbollah. Then-IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari warned at the time, “We will make sure Iranian weapons are not smuggled to Hezbollah.” By blocking Iranian reinforcements, Israel not only hastened Assad’s fall but also safeguarded its own borders from a growing threat.
Even after Assad’s ouster, Israel remains wary of Syria’s new Islamist government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Israeli troops continue to occupy a UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights, a move Defense Minister Israel Katz describes as “indefinite.” Netanyahu’s disclosure sheds light on Israel’s long-term strategy: preventing Iran from turning Syria into a forward base. The intercepted flights were just one piece of a much larger geopolitical chess game — one where Israel refuses to be outmaneuvered.
The fall of Bashar al-Assad in December last year marked a turning point in the Syrian civil war, but what few knew was Israel’s covert role in ensuring his downfall. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently disclosed that Israeli warplanes intercepted Iranian aircraft en route to Syria, preventing Tehran from deploying troops to prop up Assad’s crumbling regime. This bold move not only accelerated the dictator’s collapse but also exposed Iran’s desperation to maintain its grip on the region.
Netanyahu’s revelation came during a speech in Jerusalem, where he detailed how Iran, after witnessing its proxy Hezbollah suffer heavy losses against Israel, sought to reinforce Assad with “one or two airborne divisions.” The Israeli Air Force scrambled F-16s to intercept the Iranian planes, forcing them to turn back. This decisive action crippled Assad’s last hope for survival, leaving his forces vulnerable to the rebel offensive that ultimately toppled him.
The timing of Israel’s intervention was critical. Just as a ceasefire took effect between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, Syrian rebels launched their final assault. With Hezbollah fighters withdrawn from Syria to focus on battling Israel, Assad’s forces were left exposed. A rebel commander later admitted that Hezbollah’s absence was key to their rapid advance, stating, “We looked at the ceasefire and understood — this was our moment.”
Israel’s motives went beyond merely weakening Assad. Intelligence indicated that Iran was exploiting the chaos to smuggle advanced weapons into Lebanon for Hezbollah. Then-IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari warned at the time, “We will make sure Iranian weapons are not smuggled to Hezbollah.” By blocking Iranian reinforcements, Israel not only hastened Assad’s fall but also safeguarded its own borders from a growing threat.
Even after Assad’s ouster, Israel remains wary of Syria’s new Islamist government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Israeli troops continue to occupy a UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights, a move Defense Minister Israel Katz describes as “indefinite.” Netanyahu’s disclosure sheds light on Israel’s long-term strategy: preventing Iran from turning Syria into a forward base. The intercepted flights were just one piece of a much larger geopolitical chess game — one where Israel refuses to be outmaneuvered.
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