Al-Sharaa Says Israel Is Seeking to Destabilize Southern Syria
Syria’s self-appointed interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa accused Israel of seeking to destabilize southern Syria as Israeli military operations continued in Daraa and Quneitra.
Syria, PUREWILAYAH.COM – Syria’s self-appointed interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa accused Israel of attempting to destabilize southern Syria, reaffirming that the country remains committed to preserving the unity and stability of its territory.
He said Syria “is not a testing ground for external conspiracies nor a place for the realization of others’ ambitions.”
Israeli Operations Continue in Southern Syria
Al-Sharaa’s remarks came as Israeli ground and air operations continued in southern Syria, in what Damascus described as repeated violations of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Israeli forces opened fire on civilians in Daraa on Sunday evening and shelled one of the villages while military aircraft flew over the area.
Israeli attacks resumed before dawn on the village of Abdeen in western Daraa. SANA reported that Israeli helicopters fired heavy machine guns while artillery shelling intensified after armed confrontations erupted as local residents confronted a new Israeli incursion.
The latest incidents followed a series of Israeli raids, arrests, land-clearing operations, and attacks on homes as well as civilian and military facilities in southern Syria.
Damascus Calls for UN Action
The latest escalation came only days after the United Nations Security Council unanimously renewed the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) until December 31, 2026. The mission was established under the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement to monitor the ceasefire and supervise the separation of forces in the occupied Syrian Golan.
Following the attacks, the Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli military operations in the provinces of Quneitra and Daraa, including ground incursions and artillery shelling that it said had terrorized civilians.
The ministry called on the United Nations and the international community to take the necessary measures to end the repeated violations, ensure respect for the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, and preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic. (PW)