DAMASCUS 

Israeli forces conducted artillery shelling on the Yarmouk Basin area in Daraa province in southern Syria late Tuesday following claims that two rockets were fired from the area toward the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, the Syrian state news agency SANA reported.

It said the Israeli occupation targeted the area with artillery fire but provided no details.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority (KAN) said earlier that two rockets were launched from Daraa which landed in an open area in the Golan Heights. The projectiles’ origin remains unclear.

Israel’s Channel 13 confirmed that air raid sirens were activated in the Golan Heights because of the launches, but no casualties or damage were reported, as the rockets fell in open areas.

The Israeli army said its artillery “struck in southern Syria following the projectiles launched toward Israeli territory.”​​​​​​​

There has been no comment from Syria on the Israeli reports.

Following the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, Israel intensified its air campaign in Syria, targeting military sites, vehicles and ammunition depots, killing civilians.

Israel has occupied most of the Syrian Golan Heights since 1967. After Assad’s fall, it seized control of the buffer zone in the area and declared the collapse of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement between the two sides.

On May 7, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa revealed that talks were underway between Syria and Israel through intermediaries to de-escalate tensions. He called on Israel to “cease its reckless actions and interference in Syrian affairs.”

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in December, ending the Baath Party’s regime, which had been in power since 1963.

Al-Sharaa, who led anti-regime forces to oust Assad, was declared president for a transitional period in January.