Israeli forces continue to operate in Syria’s southwest Quneitra Governorate, with two more incursions documented on Sunday, with tanks advancing onto a highway and then set up a checkpoint at which they detained a number of locals and seized motorcycles that attempted to pass.
A second incursion was reported a few hours later further north in Quneitra, advancing toward the towns of Hadr and al-Samdaniyah with yet more tanks and military vehicles backed by helicopters.
No detentions or confrontations were yet reported in the northern incursion, and it remains unclear what exactly this operation intends to accomplish. It is not unusual for IDF forces to advance into an area, conduct some superficial searches and then withdraw.
Israeli troops advance into Syria | Image from Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
Another operation was carried out in al-Hamidiyah on Saturday and troops conducted patrols of the farmland, though again no detentions were reported. Further operations were reported along the highway leading to Damascus on Friday.
More checkpoints were reported to have been established across Quneitra on Friday, and troops also entered multiple villages, remaining for a few hours before withdrawing afterward.
Israel invaded Syria in December, immediately after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad. They have established at least 19 military outposts inside southern Syria, mostly in Quneitra Governorate, and they’ve also advanced into the Daraa Governorate regularly.
