Calm returns to Syria’s Daraa after Israeli forces withdraw following escalation
DARAA, Syria (North Press) – The village of Abidin in the Yarmouk Basin of western Daraa, southern Syria, on Monday witnessed relative calm after Israeli forces withdrew from the area following the most significant military escalation in months.
On Sunday, local sources told North Press that the Israeli military fired three artillery shells at the outskirts of Abidin village.
Earlier the same day, two people were killed and a member of the Syrian Army’s Division 40 was injured when a vehicle they were traveling in was targeted in the city of Tafas, also in western Daraa.
Local media reported that Israeli forces pulled back from Tel al-Maghar at around 2:00 AM after establishing a temporary position and pitching tents there on Sunday morning. In response, residents of Abidin blocked roads leading into the village with rocks in an effort to prevent any renewed incursions after coming under gunfire and illumination flares during the military operation.
Despite the withdrawal, Israeli surveillance drones continued flying over the area as Syrian military police and Internal Security personnel deployed around the village to reinforce security and help restore normal conditions.
The Israeli shelling caused damage to agricultural land and several homes in Abidin.
Meanwhile, peacekeepers from the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) toured the village as families who had fled overnight because of the shelling began returning to their homes.
Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the Israeli military actions, saying that the incursions and shelling, along with the intimidation of civilians, constitute a flagrant violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as a new breach of international law, the United Nations Charter, and the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
The military escalation in Daraa also prompted regional condemnation.
Qatar denounced the Israeli incursions into the governorates of Quneitra and Daraa, warning in a statement that the continuation of these attacks will further escalate tensions in the region and undermine efforts to strengthen security and stability.
Qatar also called on the international community to assume its responsibilities, deter Israel, ensure its compliance with international law, and hold it accountable for its repeated violations.
Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs likewise condemned the Israeli military operations in Syrian territory, describing them as a flagrant violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a breach of international law and the UN Charter.
Saudi Arabia also denounced Israeli incursions into Syrian territory and the shelling of Quneitra and Daraa governorates, while reaffirming its support for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial unity.