Israeli forces enter southern Syria's Quneitra, stirring tensions in occupied Golan

A new Israeli military force has infiltrated with five vehicles, arriving at the outskirts of the town of Bariqa in southern Quneitra governorate, Syria.

According to sources, the forces have deployed along the road connecting the town of Briqueh to the provincial centre of Quneitra, with no information about their withdrawal yet, Caliber.Az reports.

Yesterday, an Israeli force withdrew after infiltrating two villages in the Quneitra countryside, following the arrival of a United Nations delegation at the Quneitra governorate building to inspect the preparations being made for the building after the Israeli forces' withdrawal.

The delegation filmed a village school and offered assistance to the locals, but the villagers rejected it.

This movement comes amid ongoing tensions in the occupied Syrian Golan region, with concerns of a potential new Israeli escalation in the area.

Note that, Quneitra, a region of great strategic importance due to its proximity to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and borders with Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon, has become increasingly crucial in Israel's territorial expansion. The Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights, seized during the 1967 Six-Day War, has intensified in recent months.

The collapse of the Syrian government in December 2024 has left Damascus largely unable to counter Israeli military advances, enabling Israel to extend its control over significant portions of Syrian territory with little resistance.

Recent reports indicate that Israel is now establishing permanent military settlements in occupied Syrian villages, signalling a shift in its long-term strategy to reinforce its grip on the region. This development continues to stoke tensions and fears among local populations.

By Aghakazim Guliyev