Israeli forces advance into rural Quneitra in southern Syria

ISTANBUL

Israeli forces advanced into the northern rural areas of Quneitra in southern Syria on Saturday, sending a convoy of military vehicles toward the strategic al-Tall al-Ahmar high ground, according to the state-run media.

A patrol consisting of 12 vehicles, including Hilux trucks, troop carriers, and jeeps, moved out from the occupied town of al-Hamidiyah and crossed into the vicinity of Ofaniya village before continuing toward the al-Tall al-Ahmar area, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army or the Syrian authorities on the media report.

In recent months, the Israeli army has staged several cross-border raids into Syria’s southern provinces, including Quneitra, despite international calls for halting violations of Syria’s sovereignty.

After the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in late 2024, Israel expanded its occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights by seizing the demilitarized buffer zone, a move that violated the 1974 Disengagement Agreement with Syria.