Concern among residents of southern Syria continues to grow as the Israeli occupation of the area escalates, and gives the appearance of being long-term, if not permanent. More Israeli ground troops have entered Syria in recent days, and expanded control over villages near the city of Quneitra.
Israel invaded Syria after the regime change in December, and has taken a large amount of land, mostly in the demilitarized zone which previously existed between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. That invasion has expanded into parts of Syria’s regular territory since then, particularly in Quneitra Governorate.
Israeli troops took the Quneitra courthouse and main governorate building, but withdrew from them last week after destroying a number of the records held there. That withdrawal may have been temporary though, as troops have since taken the village of Ain al-Nourieh.
Israel has recently been constructing military outposts inside Syrian territory. New building and demolition of existing infrastructure in the area gives the appearance that this is indeed a military adventure they don’t intend to end any time soon.
In addition to expanding the ground operation, Israel has been launching a growing number of new airstrikes and drone strikes against military sites across southern Syria. This included an attack on a military airport in Suwayda Governorate, and a drone strike against a former military storage site in Daraa Governorate.
Details are scant on what was targeted in either of those cases, but the IDF has talked about a third attack carried out on Saturday just south of Damascus. They claim that strike was targeting a Hamas weapons depot. They further said that they would continue to attack Hamas sites on all fronts.
Israel had carried out airstrikes against Syria intermittently for decades, and after the regime change in December, attacking military sites at an increasing rate. The strikes were meant to destroy the former government’s military assets, though such strikes seem to be picking up the pace again this weekend, particularly in the south.
