Israel launches new raids in Syria’s Quneitra, establishes checkpoints

According to an Al Jazeera correspondent on the ground, Israeli forces have entered the Quneitra region of Syria’s occupied Golan Heights and established two military checkpoints.

In the southernmost villages of Israel, Ain Ziwan and al-Ajraf were the locations of the Saturday military operation.

Israeli forces have been conducting near-daily incursions into southern Syria for months, particularly in the Quneitra governorate, causing more public outcry and unrest.

The army used five military vehicles to set up the checkpoint in Ain Ziwan, according to Syrian state television, which said the Israeli incursion was against Syrian sovereignty.

According to the Syrian News Agency (SANA), the most recent raid occurred one day after Israeli forces advanced in the southern Quneitra countryside’s al-Asha, Bir Ajam, Bariqa, Umm al-Azam, and Ruwayhina.

Syrians on Friday criticized the ongoing Israeli attacks on citizens and their properties and condemned the Israeli incursion in the city of al-Salam in the Quneitra Governorate.

The demonstrators, who are members of the organization “Syrians with Palestine,” carried banners to denounce repeated Israeli violations of Syrian lands.

Despite less direct military threats, Israeli forces continue to carry out airstrikes that have resulted in civilian casualties and the destruction of Syrian army installations.

According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED), Israel has carried out nearly two attacks every day in Syria over the past year, with an average of almost two per day.

Since Israel’s occupation of southern Syria expanded after President Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December 2024, its military incursions have become more brutal, more frequent, and more violent.

Disengagement agreement

Following al-Assad’s assassination, Israel canceled the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, which was brokered following the 1973 conflict and where Syria failed to regain control of the occupied Golan Heights.

Israel has since violated the UN-patrolled buffer zone, expanding further into Syrian territory.

Israel claims the agreement no longer applies while conducting air raids, ground incursions, reconnaissance flights, setting up checkpoints, and arresting or disappearing Syrians. Syria has not launched attacks.

Since al-Assad’s overthrow, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa claimed that since al-Assad’s overthrow, Israel has carried out more than 1, 000 airstrikes and more than 400 ground incursions in Syria. He added that the actions were “very dangerous.”

Syrians contend that the continued violations of these laws impedes efforts to bring stability back to the area and thwarts efforts to improve southern Syria’s economic situation.

In recent weeks, Al Jazeera spoke with Syrians about Israeli incursions and kidnappings in the region, which raised concerns.

Syria and Israel are currently negotiating a deal that Damascus hopes will put an end to Israel’s airstrikes on its territory and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Syria.