Israeli patrols raid Syrian villages in Quneitra, detain civilians

Israeli army patrols carried out new ground incursions into several towns in southwestern Syria’s Quneitra province on Thursday, according to Syrian state media. The Syrian Arab News Agency reported that a patrol of two Hummer vehicles moved from Tal Ahmar through Kudna and Ain Zivan before reaching Suwayseh, where troops stopped civilians, conducted searches, and disrupted local movement.

Recent Aggressions Against Civilians

The raids follow an incident on Wednesday in which an Israeli army unit reportedly targeted Syrian women and children with smoke grenades as they gathered wild mushrooms between the villages of al-Adnaniyah and Ruwayhinah in northern Quneitra. There has been no immediate comment from Israeli or Syrian authorities regarding the latest military movements.

Pattern of Escalation in Southern Syria

Despite the Syrian government posing no direct military threat, Israeli forces have repeatedly entered Syrian territory and launched airstrikes, resulting in civilian casualties and the destruction of military assets. Syrian government data indicates that since December 2024, Israel has conducted over 1,000 airstrikes and more than 400 cross-border ground raids into southern Syrian provinces.

Occupation of the Golan Buffer Zone

Following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in late 2024, Israel expanded its occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights by seizing the demilitarized buffer zone established under a 1974 agreement. This move has further destabilized the frontier and intensified tensions in the region.