'Israel is monitoring the situation in Syria,' says Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel is monitoring the situation in Syria.

Netanyahu made the statement while visiting military recruits at a central Israel base. He said, "We are constantly watching events in Syria. We are determined to defend the vital interests of Israel and to maintain the achievements of war." This follows insurgent activity in the Syrian city of Aleppo on Friday night, which forced the Syrian army to reposition. This is considered a significant challenge to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Jihadist-led rebels captured Aleppo's airport and surrounding towns on Saturday, expanding their control over Syria's second-largest city. This advance follows a rapid offensive launched Wednesday, coinciding with a ceasefire in neighboring Lebanon. Russia, a key ally of the Syrian government, responded with its first airstrikes on Aleppo since 2016.

The offensive has resulted in at least 327 deaths, including 44 civilians, with the majority being combatants, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. President Bashar al-Assad, in a conversation with the Emirati president, pledged to defeat the attackers. "We will defeat the 'terrorists' however big their attacks," Assad said.