Israeli forces stage fresh ground incursion in Syria's Quneitra

2026-02-11 - 22:35

Israeli military forces have carried out another ground incursion into Syria's southern Quneitra province, continuing a pattern of near-daily violations along the border. A large contingent of approximately 60 troops accompanied by 15 armored vehicles entered the village of Ufania under cover of flare fire, according to Syrian state media. Deepening pattern of cross-border aggression Wednesday's operation follows a similar raid just one day earlier, during which Israeli forces detained a young shepherd in the southern Quneitra countryside. Local sources report that such incursions have become routine, with Israeli units setting up checkpoints, interrogating residents, deliberately damaging agricultural land, and abducting civilians without explanation or legal process. The sustained military activity points to a systematic policy of pressure on communities adjacent to the occupied Golan Heights. Occupation expanded under cover of transition Since the fall of the Assad government in late 2024, Israel has seized the opportunity to significantly expand its illegal occupation of Syrian territory. Tel Aviv unilaterally captured the demilitarized buffer zone established by the 1974 disengagement agreement—a brazen violation that has drawn condemnation but no effective international response. The seizure effectively rewrites the terms of the decades-old ceasefire arrangement without the consent of the Syrian state. Undermining stability and recovery Syrian residents and officials alike warn that Israel's escalating violations are actively undermining efforts to restore stability in post-conflict Syria. The persistent military presence and civilian harassment discourage investment and hamper government initiatives to rehabilitate infrastructure and revive the battered economy. For communities in Quneitra, the Israeli military has become a daily reality of occupation rather than a distant border presence, with no international mechanism in place to hold the occupier accountable.