Israeli forces open fire on homes in Syria’s Daraa
DARAA, Syria (North Press) – Israeli forces stationed at the al-Jazira military barracks on Thursday opened fire on residential homes in the village of Maariya in the western countryside of Daraa, southern Syria.
Local sources told North Press that Israeli troops used heavy machine guns to target homes in the village. No casualties or material damage were reported, but the gunfire caused fear and panic among residents.
The incident comes two days after an Israeli force advanced into the outskirts of Maariya. During the incursion, an armored vehicle and a military bulldozer entered the area and reopened the road leading to the al-Jazira military barracks.
According to local sources, the operation also resulted in damage to the property of one of the village’s residents.
Residents later reblocked the road connecting the village to the military site, only hours after the Israeli forces had cleared it during an operation on July 14.
The Israeli forces have carried out frequent incursions and military operations in parts of southern Syria since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, citing security concerns and the need to prevent hostile armed groups from establishing a presence near the occupied Golan Heights.
The operations have drawn criticism from Syrian authorities and residents, who view the repeated incursions as violations of Syria’s sovereignty.