Israeli forces withdraw from western Syria town after hours-long incursion

Israeli forces opened fire indiscriminately Wednesday as they withdrew from Abdeen town in western Daraa province in southern Syria following an incursion that lasted several hours early in the morning.

Syrian state broadcaster Al-Ikhbaria provided no information on any casualties or further details about the forces’ movements inside the town.

The incident comes amid repeated Israeli incursions into southern Syria, which were addressed by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria in a briefing before the UN Human Rights Council on Sept. 8.

The commission said Israeli military activity in southern Syria has become increasingly persistent and entrenched, including ground incursions, patrols, raids and repeated searches.

It added that the establishment of temporary checkpoints and permanent military installations on Syrian territory has significantly affected civilians.

During his visit to Syria, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at a news conference in Damascus on July 26 that violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity were “unacceptable,” calling on Israel to comply with the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement of Forces.

Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on Dec. 8, 2024, Israel expanded its occupation of Syrian territory and took control of the buffer zone and positions on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the disengagement agreement had collapsed.