Israeli forces raid villages, set up checkpoint in southwest Syria

Israeli military units entered the vicinity of al-Samdaniyah village in Syria's southwestern Quneitra Governorate on Saturday, establishing a temporary checkpoint to inspect passersby before withdrawing from the area, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported. The force consisted of three military vehicles that searched civilians at the checkpoint.

Second raid in Al-Asha

In a separate operation conducted after midnight, more than 15 Israeli military vehicles advanced into the village of Al-Asha in southern Quneitra, where troops searched a residential house and a livestock feed warehouse prior to pulling back, SANA said. The Israeli military offered no immediate comment regarding the reported weekend incursions.

Buffer zone violations

Israel has intensified military operations inside Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Dec. 8, 2024, unilaterally declaring the 1974 disengagement agreement void and moving into the UN-monitored buffer zone between the two countries. Syria's new administration has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to the 1974 accord, though Israeli forces have maintained a campaign of airstrikes and ground assaults despite the absence of direct threats from Damascus.

The ongoing operations have caused civilian casualties and damage to military infrastructure throughout Syrian territory, according to local reports. Regional observers said Israeli troop movements have expanded beyond the buffer zone into populated areas of southern Syria since the change of government in Damascus.