Israeli forces have moved into the Quneitra area of Syria’s occupied Golan Heights, establishing two military checkpoints in the villages of Ain Ziwan and al-Ajraf, according to an Al Jazeera correspondent.
The operation is part of months-long, near-daily Israeli incursions into southern Syria, especially Quneitra, involving arrests, checkpoint construction, and land bulldozing that have fuelled public anger.
Syrian state television described the move as a violation of Syrian sovereignty, reporting that five Israeli military vehicles were used to set up the Ain Ziwan checkpoint.
The incursion followed Israeli advances a day earlier toward several towns in the southern Quneitra countryside, as reported by Syria’s state news agency SANA.
In response, dozens of Syrians protested in the city of al-Salam under the banner of “Syrians with Palestine,” condemning repeated Israeli attacks on civilians and property.
Despite a decline in direct military threats, Israel has continued frequent air raids across Syria, launching more than 600 air, drone, or artillery attacks over the past year.
Troops of the elite Shaldag unit are seen on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, December 8, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
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