Israeli occupation forces on Tuesday shelled farmland between the villages of Kouya and Maariya in the western countryside of Daraa, southern Syria, according to local sources. The artillery strike targeted areas near the Syrian-Palestinian border, not far from the occupied Golan Heights, causing material damage but no reported injuries.

The shelling follows a recent escalation in Israeli military activity across Syria. On May 30, Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes on military positions in the western provinces of Latakia, Tartous, and Jableh. Targets included the 107th Brigade and alleged missile depots, while state media confirmed additional strikes in the village of Zama in southern Latakia.

While "Israel" claims these attacks are aimed at Iranian-linked or Syrian government infrastructure, local observers report a rising toll on civilian areas and agricultural land, further destabilizing border communities.

On the ground, tensions have been rising as well. During the May 30 air campaign, residents of Ruwayhina village in Quneitra forced an Israeli patrol to retreat after it reportedly harassed civilians. Villagers pelted Israeli vehicles with stones and removed a flag from one of the armored units, an incident that illustrates growing grassroots rejection of the occupation.

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Meanwhile, Israeli forces have ramped up incursions in both Quneitra and western Daraa, deploying tanks, setting up new outposts, and operating under what they label a “safe zone” policy. Syrian officials and rights monitors view these actions as part of a creeping annexation strategy, particularly along the sensitive Golan frontier.

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Contradictory engagement

Ironically, these developments come amid reports of rare backchannel diplomacy. According to a Reuters report published May 27, senior officials from Syria's transitional government and the Israeli regime have held direct talks in recent weeks, reportedly with US backing and Emirati mediation.

The discussions, led on the Syrian side by Ahmad al-Dalati, governor of Quneitra, are said to focus on reducing military friction and preventing cross-border clashes.

"For now, they are about peace, as in the absence of war, rather than normalization," one source familiar with the talks told Reuters.

Despite this tentative diplomatic opening, Israeli military operations have not ceased.