Israel launches military incursion into Quneitra in the Golan

Israeli forces have reportedly carried out a new ground incursion into southwestern Syria, entering parts of the Quneitra region in the Golan Heights with dozens of military vehicles, according to local media. The operation is being described as another violation of Syrian sovereignty.

State broadcaster Al-Ikhbariah TV reported that about 30 Israeli vehicles moved into the eastern Tel al-Ahmar area near the village of Ain Ziwan, where troops conducted search operations. Meanwhile, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) said Israeli forces approached Bariqa village and detained a Syrian shepherd. In a separate incident, three Israeli vehicles briefly entered farmland in Abu Madharah.

Southern Syria — especially Quneitra — has long experienced Israeli incursions involving detentions, checkpoints, and destruction of agricultural land. However, reports indicate such activities have intensified since the fall of longtime Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Israel has since conducted repeated air raids across Syria and intervened during clashes in the southern province of Suwayda, claiming to protect Druze communities while also striking targets in Damascus.

Data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project suggests Israel carried out more than 600 attacks in Syria during 2025 — averaging roughly two per day — using airstrikes, drones, and artillery.

The Golan Heights is internationally recognized by the UN as Syrian territory, though Israel captured about 1,200 square kilometers of the western area during the Six-Day War in 1967.