The fall of Syria adds to instability in the Middle East; Israel seizes land on the Syrian border and bombs Damascus
In an extraordinary shakeup in the Middle East, Syrian Islamic rebels captured Damascus, Syria's capital, on Dec. 8, ending the brutal 53-year reign of Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez.
Assad fled to Russia as troops advanced on Damascus, according to published reports. Mohammed Ghazi Jalali, Syrian Prime Minister, remained in the capital, saying he would work with the new regime and government transition.
It is unclear if the change in leadership in Syria will benefit Israel, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was hopeful.
Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the Islamist leader of the group leading the Syrian rebellion and a former al-Qaeda fighter, has long voiced his opposition to Israel.
Following the fall of the country, Israeli troops captured the buffer zone in Golan Heights and carried out airstrikes on Damascus to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of extremists, according to reporting by The Telegraph. The Israeli airstrikes hit multiple weapons sites in Damascus, causing extensive damage to military infrastructure and research facilities.
Israeli military action was prompted by concerns over the collapse of the Syrian government and the potential transfer of chemical weapons and missiles to Islamist rebels.
President-elect Donald Trump has called for no U.S. involvement in Syria in a statement posted on Truth Social.