Syria Is Gaza on Steroids’: Israeli Minister Predicts War With Damascus

Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli has warned that a war with Syria is “absolute certainty”, saying, “There is no avoiding it.” His comments come as Israel maintains military operations across several regional fronts.

Chikli has previously threatened conflict with Syria, saying in June that Israel would eventually go to war with Damascus and describing Syria and Türkiye as greater concerns than Iran.

Israel has already expanded its military presence inside southern Syria. Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024, Israel declared the 1974 disengagement agreement void, entered the UN-monitored buffer zone and established positions deeper inside Syrian territory.

Israeli forces have since carried out repeated incursions, raids, searches and arrests in southern Syria. Syrian authorities have repeatedly said they do not want a war and have called for Israeli forces to withdraw to their previous positions.

Tensions escalated further this week after Israeli troops entered Quneitra province and searched civilians and vehicles. Syrian state media also reported that Israeli forces opened fire towards civilian homes in Daraa, forcing some residents to flee.

The threat of a wider conflict comes as Israel maintains or expands military positions in Palestine, Lebanon and Syria, while also having fought a major war against Iran alongside the United States.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has separately said Israeli troops will remain in what Israel calls security zones in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed.

Israel’s expanding regional military posture is also contributing to changing security alliances. Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan recently signed a joint defence agreement under which an attack on one member would be treated as an attack on all three.