Damascus: The Israeli army reported on Wednesday that a military tank caught fire while engaged in a 'routine activity' in southern Syria. The incident, attributed to a technical malfunction, left the tank burned.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) released a statement confirming the fire incident and indicated that an investigation is underway to determine the specifics of the routine activity that was being conducted. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as a result of the fire.

This incident follows recent escalations in the region. On Tuesday, Israeli drones targeted Syrian army positions in the Damascus countryside, resulting in the death of six soldiers near al-Kiswah city. Additionally, Israeli forces carried out a raid in the Quneitra countryside within the disengagement zone of the occupied Golan Heights, leading to the death of one resident and the arrest of another.

The geopolitical landscape in Syria has shifted significantly since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in late 2024. In a controversial move, Israel expanded its control over the Syrian Golan Heights by seizing the demilitarized buffer zone, contravening the 1974 Disengagement Agreement with Syria. This expansion followed Assad's flight to Russia in December, bringing an end to the Ba'ath Party's long-standing rule. A new transitional government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, was established in January to navigate the post-Assad era.