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Israel makes fresh ground incursions into southern Syria despite talks with HTS

Sunday, 21 September 2025 10:00 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 21 September 2025 10:00 AM ]

Israeli soldiers stand next to an armored vehicle parked near the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights from Syria, in the town of Majdal Shams. (Photo by AP)

Despite ongoing talks between Israel and Syria’s ruling Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) regime on what authorities have characterized as “a security agreement,” Israeli military forces have carried out a string of ground incursions in the country’s southern provinces of Quneitra and Dara’a.

Local media outlets reported that a convoy of Israeli military vehicles rolled into areas located between Jubata al-Khashab and Khan Arnabah towns in Quneitra province on Saturday, and carried out searches there.

The development came a day after an Israeli military convoy broke into Ma’ariya village in the Yarmouk Basin area of Dara’a province and set up a temporary checkpoint on the eastern side of the village. They stopped passersby for inspection.

Another convoy was deployed on the road linking the villages of Kuwaya and Abdin.

Additionally, an Israeli military convoy, consisting of five military vehicles, stormed the village of al-Samadaniyya al-Sharqiya.

Eyewitnesses reported that the Israeli soldiers set up a checkpoint at the western entrance to the village, stopping several civilian vehicles and inspecting the identity cards of passengers.

While no arrests were reported, local sources indicated that soldiers conducted thorough searches of individuals passing through the area.

Syria's HTS foreign minister in US for security talks with Israeli officials

Al-Jolani, the HTS leader, has pledged to recognize Israel and establish diplomatic ties with the illegal entity.

On September 17, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the self-proclaimed president of Syria, said that security talks with Israel are a “necessity” and could lead to results in the “coming days.”

He asserted that the US had not pressured Syria’s ruling authorities to make a deal with Israel and was instead acting as a mediator.

In recent months, the Israeli and Syrian HTS regimes have engaged in direct discussions focused on stopping Tel Aviv’s aggressive maneuvers against the Arab nation and achieving a “security agreement.”

Israel has conducted repeated acts of aggression across the Syrian territory following the collapse of former President Bashar al-Assad’s government late last year.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed his forces to advance further into Syrian territory and capture multiple strategic sites within the country.

Israel has further extended its occupation of Syria by taking control of the so-called buffer zone, which separates the occupied Golan Heights from the remainder of the Arab nation, thereby violating a disengagement agreement established in 1974.

Experts believe that the inaction of the HTS regime, along with its gestures towards normalization with Tel Aviv, has encouraged Israel to broaden its occupation of Syrian land and intensify its airstrikes on the country.

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Syria Israel Middle East Quneitra Dara'a inspection Israeli forces search hts Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham Security agreement Security talks ground offensive