The key facts

  • Israeli forces killed a disabled Syrian during a raid on homes in the village of Jamla (Deraa), Sana reports
  • Overnight into Wednesday, Israeli forces shelled the outskirts of Abidin in western Deraa, with no casualties
  • According to the UN, there were 280 armed incursions into southern Syria in September, with 49 Syrians held in detention

Killing in Jamla

Israeli forces shot dead a disabled Syrian civilian during raids on homes in the southern province of Deraa, the state agency Sana reported on Thursday. According to the agency, as the troops entered the village of Jamla and searched homes, they fired indiscriminately, and snipers were positioned on rooftops. The body of the deceased was taken to the national hospital in Deraa.

Shelling of Abidin

Overnight into Wednesday, Israeli forces shelled the outskirts of Abidin in the western countryside of Deraa. Two shells fell to the west of the town; no casualties or damage were reported.

Escalation after the fall of the Assad regime

Israeli attacks and incursions into Syria intensified after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024, and have become even more active in recent months. After the fall of the regime, Israel declared the 1974 disengagement agreement invalid, took control of the buffer zone and occupied positions beyond it. According to Sana, Israeli forces continue to violate the agreement: repeated incursions into southern Syria, raids on civilians' homes, arrests, land seizures and missile strikes.

Reaction of Damascus and the UN

On Sunday, Syria's Foreign Ministry condemned the rise in Israeli incursions into Quneitra province and the Deraa countryside, as well as the increased flights of helicopters, reconnaissance aircraft and combat aviation over the south. These violations, the ministry's statement said, 'undermine the prospects for achieving stability and security in the region as a whole and in Syria in particular, and hinder efforts at reconstruction and recovery.' The ministry called on the international community to stop the incursions and force Israel to comply with international law and UN resolutions. In early October, the UN reported that Israel was holding 49 Syrians and had carried out 280 armed incursions into southern Syria in September. Released detainees, according to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, described torture and ill-treatment, including beatings, prolonged standing and threats against their families.