Israeli Fire Kills Five in Southern Syria: Local Authorities

DAMASCUS, 25th March 2025 (BSS/AFP) – Authorities in southern Syria reported on Tuesday that at least five people had been killed in Israeli bombardment in Daraa province. Israel’s military, however, stated that it carried out the strike in retaliation for incoming fire.

The violence, which occurred near the UN-patrolled buffer zone on the Golan Heights, followed Israeli airstrikes in central Syria. These attacks are part of a series of ongoing operations targeting military sites since the fall of long-time president Bashar al-Assad, when Islamist-led forces overthrew his government.

According to a provisional toll provided by Daraa provincial authorities in a statement on Telegram, five people were killed in the Israeli bombardment of the town of Kuwayya. The authorities also reported that residents of the town, located west of Daraa city, had fled due to Israeli tank shelling.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, added that an Israeli military unit had entered the town and fired heavy artillery at residents attempting to resist the incursion.

In response, the Israeli military stated that its forces had “identified several terrorists who opened fire toward them in southern Syria”, but did not specify the exact location. The statement added, “The troops returned fire in response and the Israeli Air Force (IAF) struck the terrorists.”

Since the fall of Assad in December, Israel has launched hundreds of strikes on military sites across Syria. Israel says these strikes are intended to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of groups it considers jihadist factions. It has also deployed forces to the Golan Heights buffer zone and has demanded the demilitarisation of southern Syria, which borders the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights.

The Syrian Observatory has reported near-daily Israeli military incursions into southern Syria beyond the demarcation line, which has raised concerns among the local population and international observers.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Israeli military confirmed it had “struck military capabilities” at Syrian military bases in Tadmur and T4, referring to installations in Palmyra and another located 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of the city. These bases were targeted again on Friday, with strikes continuing as part of Israel’s ongoing operations.

Syria’s foreign ministry has condemned these actions, accusing Israel of conducting a campaign that destabilises the country. During an Arab summit in Cairo earlier in March, Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, urged the international community to pressure Israel to “immediately” withdraw its troops from southern Syria, labelling Israel’s actions as a “direct threat” to regional peace.

The situation in southern Syria remains tense as both sides continue their military activities in this strategically important region. The Golan Heights, captured by Israel in 1967, remains a focal point of Israeli-Syrian tensions, with ongoing fears of further escalation.