IDF destroys 80% of Syrian military capabilities December 10, 2024IDF Artillery Corps near the border with Syria in the Golan Heights, Jan. 2, 2023. (Ayal Margolin/Flash90)(Ayal Margolin/Flash90)IDF destroys 80% of Syrian military capabilitiesMore than 350 Israeli fighter jets took art in the operation ‘Bashan’s Arrow’ to neutralize military sites once controlled by the Assad regime. By Vered Weiss, World Israel NewsThe IDF announced that it has struck 320 targets and destroyed at least 80% of Syria’s military capabilities to prevent them from falling into the hands of terrorist groups.More than 350 Israeli fighter jets took art in the operation “Bashan’s Arrow” to neutralize military sites once controlled by the Assad regime which fell to rebel fighters.Among the targets were advanced military systems such as tanks, fighter jets, helicopters, air defense systems, missile-equipped ships, rockets, arms manufacturing facilities, munitions storage sites, Scud missiles, cruise missiles, coastal defense missiles, drones, and various other weaponry.The IDF has established the first Israeli military presence in Syria since the end of the Yom Kippur War in 1973.The IDF stated, “In the past 48 hours, we targeted and struck the majority of Syria’s strategic weapons stockpiles, preventing them from falling into the hands of terrorist groups.”Israel Defense Forces International Spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani told reporters on Tuesday, “We are taking action to prevent lethal strategic weapons from reaching hostile forces. This has been our approach for years, carried out in various ways and under different circumstances, and it continues to be our focus now.”Read WATCH: IDF turns Hezbollah villages into dustHe continued, “Our Chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, stated that our primary focus is monitoring Iran’s movements and interests. Our secondary focus is on local factions gaining control of the area—assessing their actions, behavior, and deterrence capabilities—and ensuring they do not mistakenly direct their efforts toward us.”He added, “I’ll simply say that we’re doing our job to ensure strategic weapons don’t fall into the wrong hands. This is something that should matter to many forces in the region, not just Israel—ensuring there are no strategic threats in this area.” IDFSyriaSyrian army