ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Syria on Sunday strongly condemned an increase in Israeli military incursions into its southern provinces of Quneitra and Daraa, accusing Israel of violating its sovereignty and threatening civilian safety amid intensified military aircraft and drone activity.
In a statement, the Syrian foreign ministry denounced the “escalating Israeli occupation incursions” into Quneitra province and the countryside of Daraa in recent days, saying they coincided with increased reconnaissance drone flights and military aircraft activity over southern Syria.
The ministry described the operations as a “flagrant violation” of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, warning that they threatened the security and safety of civilians.
It said the continued Israeli operations undermined efforts to restore security and stability, while hampering Syria's reconstruction and recovery.
Damascus called on the international community to intervene and pressure Israel to comply with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.
The ministry said international action was needed to prevent further tensions and create conditions for lasting security and stability.
The condemnation followed fresh Israeli military activity in southern Syria on Sunday. According to Syria's state-run SANA news agency, Israeli forces entered several areas of Quneitra and Daraa, bulldozed agricultural land and established checkpoints.
SANA reported that Israeli troops detained two people in the northern Quneitra countryside, while artillery shells struck an area near Ain al-Nouriya village. The reported incidents could not be independently verified.
Israel has carried out repeated incursions into southern Syria since the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, when Israeli troops moved into a UN-monitored buffer zone separating Israeli-occupied territory in the Golan Heights from the rest of Syria.
Israel has justified its military presence on security grounds, while Damascus has demanded the withdrawal of Israeli forces and accused them of violating a 1974 disengagement agreement that established the buffer zone following the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.
