Israel advances into Syria’s Daraa and Quneitra countryside

July 26, 2026 / 5:41 PM

Sharjah 24 – AFP: Syrian state media reported that Israeli forces carried out a fresh incursion into southern Syria on Sunday, entering the villages of Maariya and Al-Aarda in western Daraa province with military vehicles and a bulldozer. According to SANA, the forces established a checkpoint in Al-Aarda and distributed leaflets warning residents not to obstruct military movements.

The agency also reported that Israeli artillery shelled farmland near the village of Taranja in Quneitra province, with no casualties reported.

UN statement and diplomatic context

The developments came a day after UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an end to Israeli violations of Syria’s sovereignty and reaffirmed that the Golan Heights are Syrian territory.

Syria renewed its demand for Israel’s immediate and unconditional withdrawal from areas beyond the 1974 disengagement line, while Israel maintains troops in what it describes as a security zone in southern Syria. Despite ongoing tensions, the two sides have recently held direct talks and agreed to establish an intelligence-sharing mechanism.