Israel launches military operation in Syrian territory near Golan Heights

Israeli Forces Stage Incursion into Syria’s Quneitra Province

A convoy of 30 Israeli military vehicles entered the eastern Tel al-Ahmar area in Quneitra province, according to local media reports. The vehicles were part of a search operation conducted by the Israeli army.

Separately, the Sana news agency reported that Israeli forces abducted a young Syrian man while he was tending his sheep near Bariqa village in Quneitra. Additionally, three Israeli military vehicles temporarily penetrated the Abu Madharah farm.

These incidents are part of a pattern of Israeli territorial violations in Syria’s southwestern regions, including Quneitra province. The area has witnessed frequent and brazen incursions by Israeli forces since the toppling of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

According to data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED), Israel launched an average of two attacks per day across Syria throughout 2025, totaling more than 600 air, drone, or artillery strikes. The Golan Heights, where Quneitra is located, has been occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War in 1967.

A disengagement agreement was established in 1974, which included the establishment of a UN buffer zone separating Israeli-occupied territory from the remaining part of Syria’s control. However, following the fall of the al-Assad regime, Israel pushed deeper into Syrian territory, occupying parts of the buffer zone and setting up military checkpoints.

Syria and Israel have been conducting intermittent talks to reach a security agreement, which culminated in an agreement to establish a joint mechanism for sharing intelligence and coordinating military de-escalation under US supervision. However, Syrian officials maintain that any durable deal will be difficult until Israel produces a clear timeline for the pullout of its troops from Syrian territory.

Source: Al Jazeera