Zionist Forces Push Forward into al-Muallaqa Amid Ongoing Arrests and Violations
Zionist forces have intensified their ground operations in Quneitra by launching a fresh incursion into al-Muallaqa. This development marks a continuation of a year characterized by increased raids, detentions, and over 600 military strikes in southern Syria following the fall of the previous government.
Israeli forces launched a fresh ground incursion on Sunday, deploying tanks and military bulldozers into the southern Quneitra village of al-Muallaqa, as reported by Syria’s state media. This recent move highlights an ongoing and intensifying pattern of Israeli military operations throughout the region.
Earlier today, occupation forces apprehended a Syrian civilian herding sheep along the road connecting al-Rafid and al-Mashidda. Recent reports have documented similar incidents of detentions and brief arrests, such as the temporary seizure of three young men from al-Hamidiyah and the capture of another shepherd in the same area.
In recent weeks, Israeli forces have conducted patrols in several nearby villages, including Bariqa, Bir al-Ajam, Ain Ziwan, and Saida al-Hanut. Armored units established temporary checkpoints and carried out searches in residential areas. Local inhabitants have dismissed Israeli claims that these operations are “aid” missions, labeling them as regular breaches of Syrian sovereignty. Additionally, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has documented nearly continuous incursions both along the separation line and extending into the rural areas of Quneitra.
The escalation is part of a broader Israeli strategy initiated after December 8, 2024, following the fall of the former Syrian government which created a security gap in the south. Israeli forces quickly expanded their presence, advancing into areas that were previously considered demilitarized under the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, and have fortified positions on Syrian territory. This military buildup has been accompanied by symbolic expressions of control, such as a Hanukkah celebration by Israeli troops on Mount Hermon, which analysts interpret as an attempt to normalize the occupation of Arab land.
The military aspect of this expansion has intensified significantly. Recent statistics from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) project indicate that “Israel” has launched over 600 attacks throughout Syria in the past year, averaging approximately two strikes daily.
The region of Quneitra has experienced a minimum of 232 incidents since the overthrow of the previous administration, surpassed only by Daraa, which has been targeted at least 167 times. The Damascus area has faced approximately 77 attacks. Notably, these operations reached a critical point with the assault on the Ministry of Defense building in the nation’s capital.
