New Israeli offensive in southern Syria forces families to flee their homes | Articles of Controversy

Turkey has condemned Israeli attacks in Syria, saying they violate international law.

The Syrian government, the government has condemned the overnight Israeli attack on southern Syria, where people living near the Golan Heights were forced to flee their homes.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Monday strongly condemned “Israel’s brutality”, calling it “a serious violation of Syria’s sovereignty and integrity”.

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The latest attack took place on Sunday in Abdin, a village west of Deraa, where people tried to stop the Israeli army.

Israeli soldiers fired bullets near civilian homes, and families fled to neighboring villages at night.

“The bullets (at that time) fell near the houses,” Mahmoud Mouaffak, a resident of the village, told AFP.

The Israeli army left, allowing “a return to stability and the return of the people on Monday morning”, he added.

An AFP photographer saw a man looking at an unexploded shell near his house.

The increase in attacks on Israel

Israel has increased its threats and attacks in southern Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in late 2024.

It has moved troops into the United Nations-controlled area separating Israeli and Syrian forces from the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel since 1967, and inside Syrian territory.

Israel has increased military operations in Deraa and Quneitra in recent weeks. The Syrian Sijil Center, which monitors Israeli operations in Syria, documented nearly 300 Israeli operations or violations in Deraa and Quneitra in June, including 107 attacks and attacks.

Israel said on Sunday it had killed “several war criminals” the previous day, without giving a number, location or any evidence.

Israel often describes Syrians who refuse to stay home as “terrorists”.

Meanwhile, Israeli leaders have publicly boasted of their intentions to maintain and expand their military operations beyond the Golan Heights.

On Thursday last week, Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel wants to keep its troops in the occupied territory of Syria “for an indefinite period”, as it did in Lebanon and Gaza.

Israel captured most of the Golan Heights during the 1967 war with several Arab countries, before illegally occupying the area in 1981. The move was rejected by many countries around the world.

Israeli attacks in southern Syria appear to be bringing instability to the country, which is recovering from 13 years of war. Turkiye, who is seen as close to the current Syrian government, condemned the latest attack by Israel on Monday.

“We strongly oppose the Israeli attacks on Quneitra and Deraa, which violate the integrity, unity and sovereignty of Syria.” This attack, which oppresses the lives and property of the Syrian people and makes the life of civilians in the region very difficult, is a violation of international law,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

“We reiterate our call on countries to do their part and put an end to these protests,” it added.