ISTANBUL

The Israeli army on Friday deliberately set fire to large areas of Syrian agricultural land in the Quneitra countryside, east of the separation fence near the occupied Golan Heights, according to Syrian state media.

Alikhbaria Syria reported that “Israeli occupation forces deliberately ignited fires in tens of dunams of land” near the separation fence west of the town of Al-Rafid in southwestern Syria. One dunam equals 1,000 square meters.

The channel said on its Facebook account that UN forces were trying to extinguish the fire using rudimentary tools but were facing major difficulties. No further details were provided.

No official statement had been issued by the Israeli military as of 1515GMT explaining the reason for the fires.

Earlier Friday, Muhammad al-Saeed, deputy governor of Quneitra, told Anadolu that Israel had established more than eight military bases in the northern part of the governorate — including areas within the Yarmuk Basin — since the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime late last year.

He said those bases were built inside the buffer zone outlined in the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, calling it a clear violation of the accord.

Al-Saeed added that ongoing Israeli actions had closed off around 6,000 hectares (14,800 acres) of agricultural land and pastures, depriving many families of income linked to livestock breeding.

Israel occupied most of the Golan Heights during the 1967 Middle East War and later annexed the territory — a move not recognized by the international community.

Following the fall of Assad in December 2024, Israel intensified its air campaign in Syria, targeting military installations, vehicles and ammunition sites. The airstrikes killed dozens of civilians and accompanied Israeli advances into the buffer zone, which it declared defunct alongside the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

A transitional administration led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was formed in Syria in January, following Assad’s departure to Russia. The Baath Party’s five-decade rule formally ended with the power shift.