Israeli forces have escalated their field operations in southern Syria, with military units carrying out new incursions that included areas in the countryside of Daraa and Quneitra. Field sources reported that a patrol belonging to the occupation army stormed the area between the towns of Abidin and Maariya in the Yarmouk Basin in the western Daraa countryside, and began carrying out precise searches and raids on a number of citizens' homes.
These military movements were accompanied by intense gunfire aimed at intimidating local residents and preventing them from leaving their homes or approaching the patrol routes. In a popular reaction, young men from the area tried to obstruct the advance of military vehicles by blocking main roads with stones and simple earth barriers, in an attempt to confront the repeated incursions.
In the northern Quneitra countryside, sources reported that an Israeli force raided the village of Tranja and arrested a young man from his home, taking him into Israeli-controlled territories. This incident comes in the context of a broader arrest campaign that has targeted dozens of Syrians since the end of last year, with estimates indicating that about 50 people have been held in Israeli prisons since December 2024.
The Israeli army had preceded these movements by dropping leaflets warning residents against attempting to block roads or obstruct military patrols. Sources confirmed that Israeli forces had opened the roads previously closed by residents, threatening to take strict measures against anyone participating in field obstruction operations.
In a related development, reports monitored an attempt by a group of settlers calling themselves 'Pioneers of Bashan' to cross the Syrian border near the Mount Hermon area. Sources stated that Israeli forces stopped the group and returned them to the interior, but the repetition of these attempts raises serious concerns among residents about permanent settlement intentions supported by the army.
The field reality indicates that Israeli movements have become part of a daily routine, with temporary checkpoints being established to search passers-by and verify their identities. Farmers and herders in border areas also suffer from being constantly prevented from accessing their agricultural lands, which exacerbates the already deteriorating living conditions in those villages.
Data indicates that the Israeli army has, in recent months, built military bases and observation points within the buffer zone. These movements exceed the disengagement lines agreed upon since 1974, as patrols penetrate deep into Syrian territory before withdrawing again to their positions behind the border strip.
For its part, the Syrian government continues to affirm its adherence to diplomatic channels to confront these violations, demanding the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces. Damascus called on the United Nations and the international community to assume their legal and moral responsibilities to stop this escalation and prevent the region from sliding into further tension and instability.
Israeli movements have become almost daily, with forces setting up temporary checkpoints to search civilians and arresting people, some of whom are later released while others remain in detention.
שתף את דעתך
Israeli escalation in southern Syria: Incursions into Daraa and arrests in the Quneitra countryside