An Israeli military incursion that began in the morning in Abdin, in Syria’s southern Daraa governorate, ended several hours later on Wednesday. Israeli forces opened indiscriminate fire as they withdrew.
The incident in Abdin occurred amid continuing debate over Israel’s repeated incursions into southern Syria and its military presence in the area.
Commission says military presence is becoming entrenched
The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria said in a briefing presented to the United Nations Human Rights Council on September 8 that Israel’s military activities in southern Syria were becoming increasingly continuous and entrenched.
The activities cited by the commission included ground incursions, patrols, raids and repeated searches. It said that, alongside temporary checkpoints, the establishment of permanent military facilities on Syrian territory had significant effects on civilians.
Guterres calls for compliance with the 1974 agreement
At a press conference in Damascus on July 26, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres described violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as unacceptable. Guterres called on Israel to comply with the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement.
After the Bashar al-Assad regime fell on December 8, 2024, Israel expanded its occupation of Syrian territory and took control of the buffer zone and positions on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu subsequently argued that the Disengagement of Forces Agreement had lost its validity.
