Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will not allow Syria’s new army or the insurgent group that led the ouster of former President Bashar Assad to “enter the area south of Damascus” as his government made clear Israeli forces would stay in parts of southern Syria for an indefinite period.

Syrians have taken to the streets in southern Syria to protest over Israel’s expansion into the country and its prime minister’s statements that Syria's armed forces cannot move south of the capital.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserts Israel's commitment to keeping forces in southern Syria to prevent insurgent groups and the new Syrian army from entering regions near Damascus. Defence Minister Israel Katz emphasizes the strategic importance of maintaining positions on Mt.