RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Thursday strongly condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to troops in southern Syria, describing his entry into the country as a “flagrant violation” of Syrian sovereignty and international law.Netanyahu visited the Syrian side of Mount Hermon on Wednesday alongside Defense Minister Israel Katz, where the two officials vowed that Israeli forces would maintain their presence in southern Syria.The Saudi Foreign Ministry denounced what it described as Netanyahu’s “illegal entry” into Syrian territory and reiterated the Kingdom’s support for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.The Kingdom also called for an end to Israeli incursions and violations in Syria and urged adherence to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, which established a UN-patrolled buffer zone separating Israeli and Syrian forces.Syria condemned Netanyahu’s visit on Wednesday, describing it as a “provocative” act and warning that continued Israeli incursions and attacks represented a dangerous escalation threatening regional security and stability.Damascus called on the UN, international organizations and other states to intervene to halt Israeli actions and ensure compliance with the 1974 agreement.During Wednesday’s visit, Netanyahu said Israel had established control over the area stretching from Mount Hermon toward the Yarmouk River and vowed not to allow forces it considers a threat to establish themselves near Israel’s border.Katz went further, telling Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa in a video message filmed on Mount Hermon that Israeli forces had no intention of leaving.“We are here on Mount Hermon, we are in the security zone, and we are not moving from here,” Katz said.Israeli forces moved into the UN-patrolled buffer zone separating Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights following the fall of Bashar Assad in December 2024. Israel described the deployment as a temporary security measure but has since established positions deeper inside Syrian territory and carried out hundreds of airstrikes in the country.Israel has repeatedly said its presence is necessary to prevent threats from emerging along its border and says it has no territorial ambitions in Syria.