Syria has condemned Israel’s latest incursions near Damascus today, and accused Tel Aviv of pursuing expansionist plans in violation of international agreements.
The Israeli army raided the Damascus countryside town of Beit Jinn on Monday, opening fire on civilians according to Syrian state media. No injuries have been reported during the incident, which involved 11 military vehicles and nearly 60 occupying soldiers.
Local reports said the raid marked the third time in August that Israeli forces advanced into Syrian territory near the disengagement zone in the occupied Golan Heights.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry denounced the move as a “grave threat to regional peace and security” and urged the UN Security Council to adopt “urgent and effective measures” to deter further aggression.
At an emergency meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani accused Israel of repeatedly violating the 1974 Disengagement Agreement by setting up intelligence facilities and military posts in restricted areas. He said the actions were part of an “expansionist and partition project” designed to tear apart Syria’s national fabric and further entrench Israel’s hold on the occupied Golan Heights.
“The Israeli occupation is violating the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, UN Security Council resolutions and the principles of respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Shaibani said.
He called on the UN to “fully assume its responsibilities in documenting and stopping Israeli incursions” and urged OIC members to support Syria’s position in international forums.
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The 1974 agreement, brokered after the 1973 war woth Israel, created a UN-supervised buffer zone separating Syrian and Israeli forces along the Alpha and Bravo lines. Damascus has consistently affirmed its commitment to the deal, but accuses Israel of exploiting the collapse of the Assad regime to expand its occupation.
Since the overthrow of former President Bashar al-Assad on 8 December 2024, Israel has expanded its control of Syrian land, occupying Mount Hermon and a 15-kilometre-wide strip in southern Syria. Officials in Damascus say the move left more than 40,000 Syrians trapped inside the seized buffer zone.
The new Syrian transitional government led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa has not posed any threat to Israel. Yet, Israel has conducted repeated incursions and airstrikes, killing civilians and destroying Syrian military sites and infrastructure.
Syrian officials warned that the continued escalation risks destabilising the region and undermining international peace efforts. They demanded that the UN Security Council act decisively to halt Israeli violations and protect Syria’s sovereignty.
Israel has not commented on the latest raid in Beit Jinn or the accusations raised by Syria.
