Israeli troops advance into Quneitra farms before withdrawing
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Israeli patrols have moved toward nearby villages, heightening border tensions.
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Workers fix an electricity grid in a Syrian village where the Israeli occupation forces made an incursion, in Rafid, on the outskirts of Quneitra, Syria, Sunday, January 5, 2025. (AP)
Israeli occupation forces carried out limited incursions in Syria’s southern Quneitra countryside on Wednesday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The monitor reported that Israeli infantry units advanced toward farms surrounding the village of al-Dwaya al-Saghira from the western side without the use of armored vehicles. The troops reportedly withdrew after nearly an hour.
The move comes amid a series of recurring Israeli attacks in the area, including airstrikes, which have fueled concerns among local residents and escalated tensions along Syria’s southern border.
The incident followed protests in nearby towns. On Tuesday, residents of Breqa and Beir Ajam rejected food packages distributed by Israeli forces, setting them on fire to signal their refusal of what they described as attempts at normalization through "aid".
Additional incursions reported
At the same time, another Israeli patrol with military vehicles pushed toward the village of Kodna and the Rasem Sand farms in Quneitra’s countryside, sparking further anxiety among residents over the possibility of escalation along the Golan front.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned Tuesday's recent Israeli attacks on its territory, following an airstrike that killed a Syrian civilian in the village of Taranja in the northern countryside of Quneitra.
The ministry stated that the aggression also comprised a ground incursion into the town of Suweisa, where Israeli occupation forces conducted detention campaigns, raided homes, and fired live ammunition. Over 30 military vehicles reportedly took part in the operation.
In its statement, the Syrian Foreign Ministry emphasized that "Israel’s" continued illegal presence on the summit of Mount Hermon and in the UN-designated buffer zone is a direct violation of international agreements.
Syria urges the Security Council to respond
Damascus renewed its call on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to take urgent action to stop the ongoing violations committed by "Israel" on Syrian territory.
The Ministry also stressed Syria’s "inalienable and legitimate right" to defend its land and people by all means permitted under international law.
Local sources reported that an Israeli occupation force advanced into Suweida, firing flares and opening fire while raiding multiple homes. A young man was also detained for several hours before being released. The incursion followed the airstrike on Taranja that killed one man and damaged civilian infrastructure.
The Israeli occupation’s actions in Syria come amid heightened regional tensions and have drawn criticism from several states calling for respect of Syrian sovereignty and adherence to international law.
On Monday, Syria's Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli occupation forces' (IOF) military incursion in the Beit Jann area of ​​rural Damascus, calling it a "blatant violation of Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity."
