Israeli forces seize four Syrians in Quneitra ground operation

Israeli military forces conducted a cross-border ground operation into southwestern Syria on Sunday, resulting in the detention of four Syrian nationals from a single family. The arrest of the young men took place in the al-Hafayer area of Khan Arnabah, located in the Quneitra province, according to a report from Syria's state-run Ikhbariyah TV.

A Pattern of Escalating Incursions

This recent detention is not an isolated event but part of a broader pattern of intensified Israeli military activity in the region. Just hours before this incident, a separate deployment of five Israeli military vehicles was observed entering the town of Saida al-Golan before subsequently withdrawing. Additional Israeli forces were also active on the outskirts of Ma’riya village, west of Daraa.

Local Grievances and Territorial Expansion

Local sources in Quneitra have repeatedly complained of the consequences of these escalating incursions. Their grievances include Israeli advances onto Syrian farmland, the systematic destruction of hundreds of acres of forest, the frequent arrest of residents, and the installation of permanent military checkpoints. This expansion of control follows the political shift in Syria after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in late 2024, which Israel used as a pretext to seize the demilitarized buffer zone established by the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

Statistical Evidence of Increased Operations

Official government data underscores the scale of this military escalation. Since December 2024, the Israeli army has executed more than 1,000 airstrikes on Syrian territory and conducted over 400 cross-border ground raids into the southern provinces. These figures highlight a significant and sustained increase in military operations that alter the security landscape along the Syrian border.