Israel conducts 4 cross-border raids into Syria’s Quneitra province

ISTANBUL

Israeli army forces launched four new cross-border raids on Friday into the countryside of Quneitra in southwestern Syria, amid daily violations of the country’s sovereignty, local media reported.

A three-vehicle patrol entered the town of Bir Ajam and moved toward the village of Briqa, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) said.

Two Humvee vehicles and two Toyota Hilux pickups also moved into al-Asha village and advanced toward al-Rafid town, the broadcaster said.

A third Israeli raid was staged into the village of Umm al-Azam, with forces setting up a temporary checkpoint at the intersection of al-Mushairfa and Ruweihina villages, according to SANA.

Israeli forces also raided the village of Ruweihina and moved toward the nearby dam, the agency added.

Israeli forces have carried out near-daily incursions in southern Syria in recent weeks, particularly in Quneitra province, conducting arrests, setting up checkpoints and destroying forested areas, actions that have fueled growing local anger toward Israel.

Despite Syria’s government posing no direct military threat to Israel, Israeli airstrikes have targeted Syrian territory, killing civilians and destroying military sites, vehicles, weapons and ammunition belonging to the Syrian army.

Damascus and Tel Aviv are engaged in negotiations toward a potential security agreement, but Syria has conditioned any deal on restoring conditions on the ground to what they were before Dec. 8, 2024.

Israel has occupied most of Syria’s Golan Heights since 1967. After the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime on Dec. 8, 2024, Israel declared the collapse of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement and moved to occupy the Syrian buffer zone.

Syrians say the continued Israeli violations are undermining efforts to restore stability and hampering government plans to attract investment to improve the country’s economic conditions.