Ankara: Israeli forces shelled the outskirts of the town of Al-Rafid in southern Syria's Quneitra countryside, as reported on Saturday. According to media reports, the incident involved the firing of six shells into the area.

According to Anadolu Agency, Syria Alikhbaria TV confirmed the shelling but did not immediately report any casualties or damage. Prior to the shelling, an Israeli force comprising five military vehicles advanced to the outskirts of Al-Rafid before retreating without making any arrests.

This recent activity is part of a pattern of Israeli operations in the region. Earlier in the week, Israeli forces fired two artillery shells near Tal al-Ahmar in southern Quneitra. Additionally, the official SANA news agency reported that Israeli forces detained a shepherd west of Al-Rafid on Tuesday, though he was released hours later.

Southern Syria, particularly the areas of Quneitra and Daraa, has experienced repeated Israeli incursions. These activities have included raids, searches, arrests, and the establishment of military checkpoints. In a separate incident last month, Israeli warplanes conducted eight strikes on the runway of the Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase in northwestern Idlib province, resulting in damage to the infrastructure.

Israeli military activities in the region have increased since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024. Following the regime's collapse, Israel declared the disengagement agreement of 1974 null and void, subsequently seizing control of the Syrian buffer zone.