Israel’s military has continued its massive bombing campaign of Syrian military targets, carrying out some 480 strikes within just 48 hours. Israeli defense chief Israel Katz said his forces had destroyed 15 naval vessels, anti-aircraft batteries and weapons factories and were working to create a so-called sterile zone in southern Syria.

Israel Katz: “Together with the prime minister, I instructed the IDF to establish a sterile defense zone against weapons and terror threats in southern Syria, in order to prevent the establishment and organization of terror in Syria and to prevent creating a situation that would be similar to what existed in Lebanon and Gaza before October 7th. We will not allow this. We will not allow threats against the state of Israel.”

On Tuesday, Syria’s ambassador to the United Nations called on the Security Council to act decisively to end the bombings, which he said targeted civilian and military infrastructure. The U.N.'s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, condemned Israel's assault.

Geir Pedersen: “We are continuing to see Israeli movements and bombardments into Syrian territory. This needs to stop. This is extremely important.”

Pedersen said the United Nations would consider removing the Syrian armed group HTS from a list of designated terrorist organizations, but only if it supports a government that is inclusive of all communities.