US aircraft carrier strike group arrives in Middle East

Israel will act decisively against positions in Syria if Hezbollah reemerges, but it has "no intention of interfering in the internal affairs of Syria," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in remarks Tuesday.

"I authorized the Air Force to bomb strategic military capabilities left behind by the Syrian army, so that they would not fall into the hands of the jihadists," Netanyahu said.

"We want relations with the new regime in Syria. But if this regime allows Iran to re-establish itself in Syria, or allows the transfer of Iranian weapons or any other weapons to Hezbollah, or attacks us -- we will respond forcefully and we will exact a heavy price from him," Netanyahu said.

The Israel Defense Forces said it has hit about 320 targets, destroying almost all of the Assad regime army's capability throughout Syria, from Damascus to Tartus.

"The operation destroyed dozens of fighter jets, combat helicopters, radars, surface-to-air missile batteries, ships, surface-to-surface missiles, rockets, weapons production sites, weapons depots, Scud missiles, cruise missiles, coastal missiles, sea-to-sea missiles, UAVs, and more," the IDF said in a statement Tuesday.

"The operation is still ongoing on the ground, with the IDF ground forces operating in the buffer zone. There, too, the IDF is working to establish a grip on the area, destroy weapons, and ensure that they do not fall into unwanted hands," the IDF said.

-ABC News' Jordana Miller

With focus still on the collapse of Bashar Assad’s government, there are signs fighting is dramatically escalating in northeast Syria. The area is held by U.S.-backed Kurds, while Turkey-supported rebel groups have gone on the offensive there, aided by Turkish airpower.

The Turkish rebels have attacked the territory controlled by the Kurds, who helped the U.S. defeat the Islamic State in eastern Syria. There are fears that Turkey -- which has waged a long war against the Kurds and considers the U.S.-backed group to be a terrorist group -- will use the chaos in Syria to now force them back.

There are reports the Turkish-backed rebels are now advancing on Kobani, an important Kurdish-majority town on Turkey’s border. It comes a day after the rebels successfully drove the Kurds from the key town of Manbij in northern Syria.

There are concerns that if Turkey and its rebel proxies press on against the Kurds it could endanger the containment efforts against the Islamic State. The Kurds currently guard 50,000 Islamic State prisoners in camps and are also essential to prevent the group regaining a foothold.

There are calls from some for the U.S. to warn Turkey to pull the rebels back.

-ABC News' Patrick Reevell

Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed the U.S.'s "full support for a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition."

"This transition process should lead to credible, inclusive, and non-sectarian governance that meets international standards of transparency and accountability," Blinken said in a statement Tuesday.

"The Syrian people will decide the future of Syria. All nations should pledge to support an inclusive and transparent process and refrain from external interference. The United States will recognize and fully support a future Syria government that results from this process. We stand prepared to lend all appropriate support to all of Syria’s diverse communities and constituencies," Blinken said in a statement.

Blinken added that it must also "fully respect the rights of minorities, facilitate the flow of humanitarian assistance to all in need, prevent Syria from being used as a base for terrorism or posing a threat to its neighbors, and ensure that any chemical or biological weapons stockpiles are secured and safely destroyed."

-ABC News' Shannon K. Kingston