Israel Shells Syrian Areas Near Damascus and Quneitra

Israeli forces conducted shelling and incursions into southern Syria on Sunday, targeting areas in the Damascus and Quneitra countrysides. In the Damascus countryside, artillery fire struck the outskirts of the town of Beit Jinn, causing limited fires. Local sources reported that Israeli infantry forces also advanced into the Jorah al-Lawz area near Tel Bat al-Wardah, adjacent to Beit Jinn, while artillery shelled the western part of the town with four shells landing on Tal Harboun.

In the Quneitra countryside, an Israeli force, including tanks, military vehicles, and troop carriers, entered Tel Ahmar near the village of Ain al-Nour in the northern part of the governorate. Syrian state media reported the force consisted of three tanks, 12 military vehicles, and over 10 troop carriers, without providing further details on subsequent movements or any exchanges of fire.

These actions follow similar Israeli shelling two days prior, on Friday, which targeted the vicinity of Tel Bat al-Wardah and Beit Jinn. No casualties were reported in these earlier incidents.

The incursions and shelling are part of ongoing Israeli actions in southern Syria, with repeated advances and strikes in the Damascus and Quneitra regions. This escalation occurs against the backdrop of the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024, after which Israel expanded its control over Syrian territory, including the buffer zone and positions on Mount Hermon, following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement to cease adhering to the 1974 disengagement agreement. The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) monitors this agreement, which established a buffer zone to separate Syrian and Israeli forces.