Israeli military actions intensified in southern Syria over the weekend, with occupation forces bulldozing farmland, confiscating livestock, and launching an airstrike in the Damascus countryside. The activity marks a renewed uptick in cross-border operations as regional tensions remain high.
Local sources reported that Israeli bulldozers entered the Shahar area near the border in the northern Quneitra countryside on Sunday morning, uprooting forested land. Separately, Israeli troops seized approximately 200 sheep from herder Ahmad Saleh al-Hassan in the village of Razaniyeh, according to local accounts. The flock was reportedly transferred into Israeli-occupied territory around 10 a.m. and remained in Israeli custody as of Sunday evening.
Widening Scope of Israeli Operations
These latest incidents come against the backdrop of long-standing Israeli incursions into the Syrian border region, particularly around the occupied Golan Heights. Israeli forces have carried out reconnaissance using drones, arrested civilians near the buffer zone, and targeted suspected weapons transfers with airstrikes.
According to reports from Reuters and Israeli military sources, Israel conducted an airstrike Sunday in Mazraat Beit Jin, in southern Syria, claiming to have targeted “a Hamas operative.” Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson Avichay Adraee confirmed the strike on X, formerly Twitter, offering no additional details. Hamas has not issued a statement in response.
The airstrike follows Israeli claims last week that rockets had been fired toward the occupied Golan for the first time since Syria’s new leadership took office. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa would be held “responsible for all threats emanating from Syrian territory.”
Diplomatic Disputes
Syrian officials disputed reports of rocket fire into Israel, stating that there was no verified evidence of such attacks and reaffirming that Syria “does not and will not pose a threat to any party in the region.” The Syrian Foreign Ministry reiterated its position that the priority in southern Syria remains the restoration of state authority and the disarmament of non-state actors in order to ensure local and regional stability. Damascus has repeatedly condemned Israeli airstrikes as violations of Syrian sovereignty.
While indirect talks between Syria and Israel were recently reported in an effort to reduce hostilities, the current pace of military action suggests that a long-term de-escalation remains uncertain. The combination of land seizures, livestock confiscation, and airstrikes has deepened concerns about the fragile security situation along the border.
