Israel shells Daraa countryside in Syria with artillery, gunfire

Israeli forces shelled areas in Syria's southern Daraa province with artillery and machine-gun fire early Monday, targeting valleys and villages near the 1974 disengagement line, according to state media.

Border violations

The artillery fire struck the Abidin and Al-Raqqad valleys while machine guns targeted the outskirts of Jamla village in the Yarmouk Basin, the official SANA news agency reported. Israeli forces also opened fire from positions along the 1974 disengagement line toward the outskirts of Abidin town, the report added.

Escalation pattern

The attacks came one day after Israeli artillery shelled southern Quneitra province twice within hours, striking southeast of Al-Rafid town and the woodland of Bir Ajam village. The bombardment follows months of Israeli military expansion into Syrian territory since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024.

Buffer zone seizure

Israel seized the buffer zone and declared the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement collapsed following Assad's ouster, despite the new Syrian government posing no threat to Tel Aviv. The UN Disengagement Observer Force remains tasked with monitoring the disengagement line, though Israeli raids and airstrikes have continued unabated against military sites and civilian areas.