Syria has vehemently condemned recent Israeli airstrikes as a “flagrant violation” of its sovereignty following a series of deadly attacks in its southern region. The violence escalated on Tuesday, particularly in the village of Kuwayya within Daraa province, where Israeli military operations were reportedly in response to incoming fire directed at Israeli forces.
The Syrian foreign ministry issued a statement denouncing what it described as “continued Israeli aggression” that led to extensive artillery shelling and air bombardments, resulting in the death of six civilians, a figure that surpassed initial reports from local authorities. The ministry highlighted that this violent escalation was part of ongoing Israeli incursions into the Quneitra and Daraa provinces, which it argued grossly violated both Syrian sovereignty and international laws.
In a related development, the Israeli military claimed that their troops had “identified several terrorists” firing from southern Syria and acted to neutralize the threat through a retaliatory response, which included airstrikes targeting the identified assailants. The governor of Daraa, Anwar al-Zoabi, stated that the escalating situation resulted in clashes between residents and Israeli military forces attempting to breach the area, further aggravating the conflict.
Following the bombardment, local reports indicated that around 350 families were compelled to seek refuge in shelters within a nearby village. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a prominent war monitor based in the UK, noted that near-daily Israeli military operations have been increasingly penetrating southern Syria in recent months, further destabilizing the region.
The ramifications of these attacks have drawn sharp criticism from neighboring countries. Jordan’s foreign ministry characterized the incursion and subsequent bombardment as a “dangerous escalation” that could exacerbate conflicts and tensions within the region. Similarly, Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned the assault as a “brazen violation of international law,” while Saudi Arabia echoed these sentiments, accusing Israel of undermining the stability and security of Syria and its vicinity through its recurrent military actions.
Israeli forces have conducted hundreds of strikes on various military installations since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December, claiming that their objective is to prevent weaponry from reaching groups they deem as jihadists. On Tuesday, the Israeli military announced strikes on remaining military capabilities at Syrian bases located at Tadmur and T4, following similar operations conducted just days earlier.
Furthermore, Israel has intensified its military presence in the Golan Heights buffer zone, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu advocating for the demilitarization of southern Syria, which borders the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. This position was echoed by United Nations special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, during a Security Council meeting, where he expressed grave concern over Israeli intentions to maintain a military presence in Syria.
At a recent Arab summit in Cairo, Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa appealed for international pressure on Israel to withdraw its troops from southern territories, labeling this presence as a “direct threat” to peace in the region. The ongoing military confrontations between these nations signal an increasingly volatile situation, raising fears of further conflict in the Middle East.
