Conflict & Security
Netanyahu says Iran regime close to collapse on Syria visit
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran's Islamic republic was close to collapse during a Wednesday visit to Israeli troops on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, drawing condemnation from Damascus.
Netanyahu, who visited with Defence Minister Israel Katz, said Israel's main task was to bring down what he called Iran's terror regime and that Israel was “very close” to that goal. He also said Iran's regional “axis” would ultimately collapse.
Syria's foreign ministry condemned Netanyahu's entry into Syrian territory, calling it illegal, provocative and a violation of Syria's sovereignty, territorial integrity and international law.
Katz addressed Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in a video message from Mount Hermon and said Israeli troops would not leave the mountain or the security zone in southern Syria. Katz also warned Iran, saying Israel had struck it twice and would do so again if necessary to counter threats.
Israeli forces have been stationed in a security zone in southern Syria since the fall of longtime Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. They occupy what had been a United Nations-patrolled buffer zone separating Israeli and Syrian forces in the Israeli-occupied Golan since 1974.
Netanyahu has visited troops in Syria at least twice before, including shortly after Israel took control of the buffer zone in December 2024 and again in November 2025. Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria since Assad's fall and has made repeated incursions into Syrian territory.
Update
Syria's foreign ministry condemned Netanyahu's entry into Syrian territory and his Mount Hermon tour as illegal and a violation of Syrian sovereignty and international law.
The item says Netanyahu had previously visited Israeli troops in Syria at least twice, in December 2024 and November 2025.
The item adds that Syria's alliance with Iran ended after Bashar al-Assad's fall.
Source note: AFP news report published on 9 September 2026 at 18:57:03 UTC.
Update
Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israeli troops would not withdraw from Mount Hermon and the security zone in southern Syria.
Katz addressed Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in a video message from Mount Hermon.
Katz said Israel had struck Iran twice and would strike a third time if necessary.
Netanyahu said what he called Iran's regional axis would ultimately collapse.
Source note: AFP news report published on 9 September 2026 at 16:01:39 UTC.
Update
Netanyahu made the comments on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon during a visit with Defence Minister Israel Katz.
Israeli forces have been stationed in a southern Syria security zone since Bashar al-Assad's fall in December 2024.
Israel occupies what had been a UN-patrolled buffer zone separating Israeli and Syrian forces since 1974.
Netanyahu said Israel would not allow what he called a terrorist army to establish itself on its border.
Damascus condemned Katz's earlier visit to Israeli troops in southern Syria as a violation of Syrian sovereignty.
The source adds context on Israeli strikes and incursions in Syria and on the wider Iran-related war.
Source note: AFP news report published on 9 September 2026 at 14:05:19 UTC.
Update
Netanyahu made the comments during a visit to Israeli troops on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon on the Israel-Syria border.
Defence Minister Israel Katz accompanied Netanyahu.
Netanyahu said the main task was to bring down what he called the terror regime in Iran and that the wider axis would ultimately collapse.
Source note: AFP news report published on 9 September 2026 at 13:41:02 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
Netanyahu's assertion that Iran's Islamic republic is close to collapse is his stated assessment, not an independently established fact in the supplied material.
The legality of Israel's presence and Netanyahu's visit is presented through competing Israeli and Syrian positions.
Source
AFP news report published on .