Israel advances 9 km into Syria’s Daraa, takes up “strategic” positions near Syrian-Jordanian border

Shafaq News/ Israeli forces advanced 9 kilometers into the countryside of Daraa in southern Syria, reports revealed on Wednesday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that "Israeli forces entered Koayiah village and the historic Al-Wehda Dam near the Syrian-Jordanian border, taking up strategic positions after warning local residents to surrender their weapons.”

Israeli forces reportedly entered Battalion 74 near Saida village, located on the administrative border between Quneitra and Daraa provinces, marking a new incursion in southern Syria. "This military action comes amid rising tensions along the Syrian border with the occupied Golan Heights,” SOHR affirmed.

Simultaneously, media outlets highlighted Israeli incursions into Quneitra's archaeological sites, with archaeologists in Israeli military uniforms. They also noted an Israeli advance from Tel Akasha in the occupied Golan toward the historic town of Breqa in Quneitra.

The Israeli army is reportedly just 12 kilometers from the international highway connecting Damascus to Beirut, the Lebanese capital.

Since the fall of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime, the Israeli military has continued its intensive airstrikes on military targets deep inside Syria, alongside its incursions into Syrian territory from the Golan Heights, claiming to “prevent military threats from armed factions in Syria.”

Ahmed Al-Sharaa, the head of military operations in Syria, known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, confirmed that "the new forces are not interested in engaging in confrontation with Israel,” pointing out that "Israeli justifications are weak and fail to account for their recent violations, as they have clearly crossed engagement lines, threatening unnecessary escalation in the region.”

In response, Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi stated, "Israel does not seek to interfere in Syrian affairs."