Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday welcomed the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, arguing it was a “direct result” of Israeli attacks on Iran and Hezbollah.

Netanyahu made the remarks in a public address shortly after it was announced that Assad had fled Damascus with his family on Saturday evening. On Sunday, Islamist rebels took over the city. Netanyahu warned that the overthrow of the Assad regime would still be “associated with significant dangers.”

“This is a historic day for the Middle East. The collapse of the Assad regime, the tyranny in Damascus, offers great opportunities, but also poses significant risks. This collapse is the direct result of our violent crackdown against Hezbollah and Iran, Assad’s “It set off a chain reaction of everyone who wants to free themselves from this tyranny and its oppression,” Netanyahu said.

Syrian dictator Bashar Assad flees into exile as Islamist rebels conquer the country

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes a televised statement in Jerusalem on November 26. (Israeli government press office via AP)

The Israeli leader also pointed out that the fall of the Syrian regime also led to actions by the Israel Defense Forces, which were forced to take positions near the border with Israel abandoned by the Syrian army.

“But it also means that we have to take action against possible threats. One of them is the collapse of the 1974 separation of powers agreement between Israel and Syria. This agreement was valid for 50 years. It collapsed last night,” he continued. “The Syrian army has abandoned its positions. We have ordered the Israeli army to take over these positions to ensure that no enemy force establishes itself directly on the border with Israel. This is a temporary defensive position until a suitable agreement is found.”

Opposition fighters remove a government flag from an official building in Salamiyah, east of Hama, Syria, on Saturday, December 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)

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Netanyahu concluded by extending a “hand of peace” to the people of Syria, including “Muslims who want to live in peace with Israel.”

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad speaks to The Associated Press at the presidential palace in Damascus on September 21, 2016. (AP/Syrian Presidency)

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“At the same time, we send a hand of peace to everyone beyond our border in Syria: to the Druze, to the Kurds, to the Christians and to the Muslims who want to live in peace with Israel. We will follow events.” “If we manage to establish neighborly relations and peaceful relations with the new forces that are emerging in Syria, we will do everything necessary to defend the State of Israel and Israel’s border.” complete.