Jerusalem [Israel], January 28 (ANI/TPS): Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the Israel Defense Forces would remain inside the Syrian buffer zone "indefinitely" while visiting troops there on Tuesday.

"The IDF will remain at the summit of the Hermon and the security zone indefinitely to ensure the security of the communities of the Golan Heights and the north, and all the residents of Israel," Katz said.

Also Read | China Artificial Sun: Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) Burns for Over 1,000 Seconds, 100 Million Degrees Celsius.

"We will not allow hostile forces to establish themselves in the security zone in southern Syria... we will act against any threat," he added.

Katz was visiting an army post on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, the highest point in the Golan Heights.

Also Read | January 29 Birthdays and Birth Anniversaries: Know About Famous People and Celebrities Born on January 29.

Israel sent forces into the 235 sq km buffer zone to prevent Syrian rebels from approaching the border when the regime of Bashar Assad collapsed in December. Israel also launched waves of airstrikes on Syrian army assets and Iranian stockpiles to prevent them from falling into the hands of radical Islamists.

The move into the demilitarized zone was coordinated with peacekeepers from the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF).

Israel considers the 1974 ceasefire agreement void until order is restored in Syria.

While Israeli forces have briefly entered the buffer zone in the past, December's takeover marked the first time since its establishment that the IDF set up positions there. The demilitarized zone was established with a ceasefire in 1974 that ended the Yom Kippur War. (ANI/TPS)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)