Golan Heights - December 21, 2024 The Israeli incursion into Syrian territory following the collapse of the al-Assad regime has sparked fears among Syrians about the territorial integrity of their country, especially with Israel's approval of new settlement projects in the occupied Golan Heights. Israel did not wait long to exploit the recent developments in Syria. A few hours after the armed opposition groups announced their entry into Damascus and the downfall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government on Dec. 8, Israeli forces began invading Syrian territory under the pretext of protecting their national security. They have penetrated into southern Syria, seizing areas of Syrian territory in addition to the strategic summit of Mount Hermon, which spans Syria, Lebanon, and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Political analyst Hanna Houshan noted that Israel's military positioning on Mount Hermon is a significant strategic gain. The analyst warned that this new presence would pose a significant threat to Syrian security, particularly as the country struggles to stabilize after al-Assad's regime was overthrown. On December 8, Israeli forces seized the UN-monitored buffer zone that had separated Israeli and Syrian forces for 50 years under the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. Just a week later, Israel's government approved a plan to expand settlements in the occupied Golan Heights, further escalating tensions. The Syrians attributed the Israeli incursion and attempt to impose a fait accompli in the Golan Heights to the security and military vacuum left by the fall of al-Assad's regime. Jihad Muhammad, another Syrian citizen, said: "We consider every inch of Syrian land to be the property of the Syrian people, and no one has the right, no matter where they are from, [to fill the void]. In my opinion they would argue that it's an empty space. But, the entire international community is supposed to stand with the Syrian people." Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday that Israeli forces would remain on the Syrian summit of Mount Hermon for "as long as necessary." Israel's military actions have sparked condemnation from regional countries and prompted calls from the international community for respect for Syria's sovereignty. Shotlist: Golan Heights - Dec 15, 2024: 1. Various of vehicles running on roads; 2. Wind turbines, Israeli national flag; Syria - Dec 20, 2024 3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Hanna Houshan, political analyst (partially overlaid with shot 4): "I think that Israel today, with this incursion that it has done, is establishing points for itself on the summit of Mount Hermon, which, as you know, is a strategic summit that overlooks Israel, Lebanon, and Syria. This new positioning of Israeli forces is, a valuable catch for it, from a strategic perspective. There is no doubt that this matter will greatly affect Syrian security. You know, the new leadership here in Syria has not yet prepared the infrastructure to manage daily operations, let alone an Israeli-Syrian approach."; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] Damascus, Syria - Dec 8, 2024 4. Various of gunmen entering Damascus, pedestrians, traffic; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] Syria - Dec 20, 2024 5. Various of destroyed vehicles, weapons on street; 6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ali Ibrahim, Syrian citizen: "Israel took advantage of the chaos that occurred after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime and decided to advance and storm the region, considering that it has not submitted to any international agreement since 1974 until today and has continued its occupation of the Syrian Golan. I believe that with its progress these days, it will occupy new areas that no one would be able to expel it from in the coming days."; 7. Various of pedestrians; 8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Jihad Muhammad, Syrian citizen: "We consider every inch of Syrian land to be the property of the Syrian people, and no one has the right, no matter where they are from, [to fill the void]. In my opinion they would argue that it's an empty space. But, the entire international community is supposed to stand with the Syrian people."; Damascus, Syria - Dec 6, 2024 9. Various of cityscape. [Restriction - No access Chinese mainland/Orient TV/Syria Alshaab TV/Zanoubia TV/Alhurra TV/ANN TV/Al Jazeera/ Al-Arabiya TV]