Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that his military will not withdraw from territories it occupied in southern Syria, Anadolu reported Monday.

Speaking at a conference attended by Israeli ambassadors, mission heads, and Foreign Ministry officials, Netanyahu reiterated that Israel will not leave areas occupied after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government.

"We want to preserve these assets," he said, referring to Jabal al-Sheikh (Mount Hermon) and the buffer zone adjacent to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which Israel has held since 1967.

He said Israel hopes to reach an agreement with the Damascus administration on demilitarizing southern Syria.

Israeli military attacks on Syria intensified following the collapse of the al-Assad government on December 8, 2024, after clashes escalated on November 27.

Israel began destroying military infrastructure left by Syrian forces and expanded its occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights.

Israeli forces entered the buffer zone near the Golan Heights and pushed the occupation further, advancing to within 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) of Damascus.