The 'Greater Israel' map includes significant portions of modern-day Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, sparking widespread condemnation from Arab nations who view it as an affront to their sovereignty.

The overthrow of Bashar al-Assad has led to a face-off between Turkey and Israel in Syria, where both countries have deployed forces. Relations between Turkey and the Jewish state were already strained over the Gaza war,

"We see a lot of airflights coming in to Damascus, and a lot of meetings with high officials," says Israeli Foreign Ministry Director General Eden Bar Tal during a press conference in Jerusalem as he warns the international community about Syria's new authorities and their change in appearance that "disguise the real essence of this group.

A main road in the provincial capital of Quneitra in southern Syria was blocked with mounds of dirt, fallen palm trees and a metal pole that appeared to have once been a traffic light. On the other side of the barriers,

Israel blew up an Iran sponsored Syrian missile factory after its elite commandos raided it last September. The missiles posed an existential threat to Israel amid its war against Tehran's proxies.

Israel’s continued military operations in Syria, which it said on Sunday are intended to “strengthen the defense of Israel’s citizens,” have drawn accusations from the United Nations and some member states that Israel is violating a decades-long cease-fire by sending its troops within and beyond a buffer zone between the countries.

The cantonization of Israel's northern neighbor would 'ensure the safety of the northern border and allow Israel to actively defend itself against threats from rebel groups'

"Our problem is not with Israel. We don't want to meddle in anything that will threaten Israel's security," Damascus Governor Maher Marwan tells NPR. Syria and Israel have never had diplomatic ties.

A U.S. sanctions exemption for transactions with governing institutions in Syria is welcome, but "much more significant work ... will inevitably be necessary," the U.N. special envoy on Syria, Geir Pedersen,

"Many people think the United States saves Israel, but the truth is that today Israel's role is to save the United States from itself," this surprising statement by Dr. Michael Doran, an American expert on the Middle East,

Israel’s army has confirmed that one of the bodies recovered from Gaza earlier this week was that of 23-year-old hostage Hamzah AlZayadni.