Israel wasted no time following the abrupt collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria. Within hours of Assad’s fall on December 8, 2024, Israeli forces seized the buffer zone separating the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from the rest of Syria. They raised Israel’s flag atop Mount Hermon. More than a month later, Israeli troops remain stationed in the United Nations-patrolled area — raiding government buildings and summoning residents for questioning — all the while alleging its presence