Damascus: Israeli forces conducted ground incursions in the southern Syrian regions of Quneitra and Daraa countrysides.
According to Anadolu Agency, Israeli forces advanced into the Quneitra province, with two vehicles moving from Tel Abu Ghithar toward Sayda al-Hanout's western outskirts. The forces fired shots into empty agricultural land, aiming to intimidate local residents and shepherds, though no injuries were reported.
In the western Daraa province, a separate Israeli unit with five armored vehicles advanced to the Jamleh Company area. The unit established a temporary checkpoint on Wadi Jamleh Road and carried out limited searches before withdrawing, causing tension among local residents.
These actions occurred despite a January 6 agreement between Syria and Israel to establish a US-supervised communication mechanism intended to facilitate information sharing and reduce military tensions. Israeli forces have persisted in conducting near-daily strikes and incursions into Syrian territories, particularly in Quneitra and Daraa, which include detentions, the establishment of checkpoints, and farmland destruction.
Israel has occupied the majority of Syria's Golan Heights since 1967. Following the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad on December 8, 2024, Israel declared the collapse of the 1974 disengagement agreement and moved into the Syrian buffer zone. Syrians argue that the continued Israeli actions disrupt efforts to restore stability and hinder the government's efforts to attract investment for economic improvement.
Meanwhile, a protest in the city of Suwayda saw participants raising Israeli flags and displaying images of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The protest, organized by supporters of Druze cleric Hikmat al-Hijri under the slogan 'To be or not to be,' had limited attendance despite calls for mass participation. Local figures criticized the display of Israeli symbols, viewing it as a threat to the province's social and national cohesion.
The protest aligns with renewed calls from some groups for international intervention on behalf of Syria's Druze community, amid deepening divisions between factions emphasizing national unity and those seeking external support. Suwayda has been under a ceasefire since July 2025, following clashes between Druze factions and Bedouin tribes. The truce has been violated by al-Hijri-linked groups, while the government remains committed to the agreement, facilitating civilian evacuations and humanitarian aid entry.
Since the fall of Assad's regime in late 2024, Syria's new leadership aims to restore nationwide security, warning against armed groups operating outside state authority and pledging to regain control over the country's territory.