Israeli attack in southern Syria sends families from homes
Syria and Turkey condemned Israeli attacks near the Golan Heights after residents in Deraa province fled shelling overnight.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Syria’s government condemned overnight Israeli attacks in the country’s south after residents near the occupied Golan Heights fled their homes, according to Al Jazeera and AFP. The incident comes amid a reported rise in Israeli military activity in Deraa and Quneitra provinces since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in late 2024.
The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday denounced what it called “the Israeli aggressions,” saying they violated Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Turkey’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the attacks, saying they breached Syria’s unity and international law.
AFP reported that the attack happened Sunday in Abdin, a village in western Deraa province, after residents tried to stop an Israeli army unit from advancing. Israeli forces fired shells near civilian homes, prompting families to leave for nearby villages during the night, according to AFP.
Mahmoud Mouaffak, described by AFP as a village notable, said shells landed near houses. He told AFP that Israeli forces later withdrew, after which calm returned and residents came back on Monday morning.
An AFP photographer saw a resident examining an unexploded artillery shell near his home. A photo from the village showed a man standing close to an unexploded shell after the overnight bombardment.
Israeli operations reported in the south
Al Jazeera reported that Israel has stepped up attacks and incursions in southern Syria since Assad’s government fell in late 2024. Israeli forces have moved into the United Nations-monitored buffer zone that separates Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights, as well as farther inside Syrian territory, according to Al Jazeera.
The Golan Heights have been occupied by Israel since the 1967 war with Arab states. Israel annexed most of the territory in 1981, a move rejected by most of the international community, according to Al Jazeera.
The Syrian Sijil Center, which monitors Israeli activity in Syria, recorded nearly 300 Israeli operations or violations in Deraa and Quneitra in June, Al Jazeera reported. The center said the June tally included 107 incursions and raids.
Israel said Sunday that it had killed “several armed terrorists” a day earlier, according to Al Jazeera. Israel did not give a number, identify the location or provide evidence in that statement, the outlet reported.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said last Thursday that Israel planned to keep troops in the sector it occupies in Syria “for an indefinite period,” as it has done in Lebanon and Gaza, according to Al Jazeera.
Turkey calls for international action
Turkey, which Al Jazeera described as close to Syria’s current government, condemned the Israeli attacks on Monday. The Turkish Foreign Ministry said the strikes on Quneitra and Deraa violated Syria’s territorial integrity, unity and sovereignty.
The ministry said the attacks harmed Syrian civilians’ lives and property and made conditions in the area harder. It also called on the international community to meet its obligations and stop the attacks.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.