Israeli forces detain two Syrian youths in Quneitra incursion

Israeli army forces detained two young Syrian men Wednesday during an incursion into Quneitra province in southwestern Syria, in the latest violation of the country's sovereignty. Al-Ikhbariya TV said two Israeli patrols advanced into the farms of al-Basali and Umm al-Luqas in the southern Quneitra countryside, and detained the two youths. Neither Damascus nor Tel Aviv had issued an official statement on the raid.

Previous violations

On Tuesday, Israeli army forces fired three artillery shells near a farmland in the village of Taranja in Quneitra countryside, which came after Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a customs decree banning the entry of Israeli goods into Syria. The decree reaffirmed Damascus' commitment to the Arab League's "laws on boycotting Israel," issued in the 1950s.

Daily violations

The Israeli army violates Syria's sovereignty daily, especially in the south, through shelling and incursions that include setting up checkpoints, searching passersby, raiding homes, and detaining civilians, including children and shepherds.

Golan Heights occupation

Israel has occupied most of Syria's Golan Heights since the June 1967 war and expanded its occupation after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in late 2024. On Dec. 8, 2024, Israel declared the collapse of the 1974 disengagement agreement and occupied the Syrian buffer zone. Despite the new Syrian administration not issuing threats toward Israel, Israeli forces have carried out airstrikes since Assad's ouster.