'Israel' expands incursions in Syria's Quneitra
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Israeli forces advanced into Ain al-Nourieh in Syria’s Quneitra countryside, destroying former Syrian army positions and increasing military presence amid reports of new settlement outposts.
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Israeli military armored vehicles block a road leading to the town of Quneitra, Syria, on Sunday, January 5, 2025 (AP)
Local sources reported on Sunday that Israeli occupation forces have advanced into the village of Ain al-Nourieh in the northeastern Quneitra countryside, further escalating tensions in the region.
A Syrian source speaking to Al Mayadeen said Israeli forces destroyed remnants of two former Syrian army mortar and anti-tank missile units near the strategic hill of Ain al-Nourieh.
Sources also noted that Israeli forces remained stationed for hours on a key route connecting Quneitra’s countryside to Damascus via Khan Arnaba - Harfa, sparking fear among residents. The increasing frequency of Israeli incursions and patrols in Quneitra and Jabal al-Sheikh has exacerbated local concerns.
Two days earlier, residents of the village of al-Malaqah in Quneitra province rejected aid offered by Israeli forces, affirming that they do not accept assistance from an occupying force.
The village’s mayor, Khodor Obeida, told Turkey’s Anadolu Agency that Israeli soldiers enter and exit the village more than 10 times a day, conducting home searches and instilling fear among women and children.
Obeida added that the soldiers offered him relief supplies to distribute to the residents, but the villagers rejected the offer, expressing a preference for aid from the Syrian government and local organizations that provide essential services.
'Israel' builds bases in Syria: WashPo
On February 2, The Washington Post wrote that the Israeli occupation forces, who have invaded several Syrian villages beyond the buffer zone and Mount Hermon, appear to be preparing for a lasting stay in the territories as earthmoving Israeli vehicles have made their way across the Syrian border.
Satellite images reviewed by The Post revealed over half a dozen buildings and vehicles within a fortified Israeli base, with a nearly identical site located five miles to the south. The two bases are connected by newly constructed dirt roads leading to the occupied Golan Heights. Further south, a cleared area—identified by experts as the possible foundation of a third base—is also visible.
Israeli occupation forces now move in and out of the buffer zone, which, under the 1974 ceasefire agreement between the Israeli occupation and Syria, was meant to remain demilitarized. However, the Israeli occupation has declared the agreement void following the collapse of the Assad regime.
The two new construction sites appear to be forward observation bases, resembling those in the Israeli-occupied part of the Golan Heights, according to William Goodhind, an imagery analyst at Contested Ground. The base in Jubata al-Khassab is more developed, while the southern site is still under construction.
Goodhind noted that the former offers better visibility for troops, whereas the latter has easier access to the region’s road network—an advantage that a potential third base on the cleared land farther south would also share.
