Friday, IDF Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi, held a situational assessment and tour with the Commanding Officer of the Northern Command, MG Ori Gordin, the Commanding Officer of the 210th Division, BG Yair Palai, and additional commanders from the General Staff Forum.

"We’ve been here for almost a week, the main reason is the security of the country.

We are here to defend along the border in the Golan Heights, northern Golan Heights, and Mount Hermon. There was a country here that was an enemy state, its army collapsed, and there is a threat that terrorist elements could reach here.

We moved forward so that these terrorist elements will not establish themselves — extremist terrorists will not establish themselves right next to the border.

We are not intervening in what is happening in Syria. We have no intention of managing Syria.

We are unequivocally intervening in what determines the security of Israeli citizens here, behind us in the communities of the Golan Heights, and we are doing that professionally and correctly, and we are doing it with determination.

In my opinion, the preparations along the entire border, from Mount Hermon to the meeting point of the Israeli, Syrian, and Jordanian borders, are correct preparations, good preparations, its purpose is also to make many changes, you have all the necessary military assistance here, there is excellent force buildup here. We have reserve soldiers, regular soldiers, regular brigades, special units, General Staff assistance from all directions, use everything wisely."