Israeli forces carried out artillery strikes Thursday on several locations in the western countryside of Daraa and the southern countryside of Quneitra, according to Syria’s state news agency SANA. The bombardment targeted the outskirts of Abdeen and Jamlah in the Yarmouk Basin, as well as farmland between Bariqa and Kodana. No casualties were reported.
SANA said an artillery shell landed near Abdeen and another struck agricultural land near Jamlah, coinciding with heavy Israeli reconnaissance-drone activity over the area.
In Quneitra province, the agency reported that three artillery shells hit farmland between Bariqa and Kodana. The strikes caused no injuries.
The shelling comes amid heightened tensions following a major escalation earlier in the week. On Sunday, Abdeen village in western Daraa was hit with helicopter machine-gun fire and artillery rounds after Israeli forces entered the village. That incident also ended without reported casualties, according to sources who spoke to Ultra Syria.
Local sources told Ultra Syria that the escalation began at dawn Saturday when an Israeli patrol advanced from the Nahriyah platoon, passed through the Abu Ghaitar gate, and reached the Tel al-Mughr area west of Abdeen. There, soldiers set up a military post and pitched tents.
Four Israeli military vehicles later moved to the village’s outskirts and blocked its entrance, prompting anger among residents. Youths and children reportedly threw stones at the vehicles, while UNDOF peacekeepers intervened in an attempt to defuse the situation.
According to the reports, Israeli forces fired warning shots into the air. Some local youths responded by firing warning shots above the soldiers’ positions. Israeli troops then cordoned off the village, set up checkpoints, searched civilians and their mobile phones, and temporarily prevented residents from leaving.
Another local source told Ultra Syria that Israeli forces opened fire with helicopter machine guns and artillery after partially withdrawing, following the youths’ warning shots. Most residents fled to nearby villages as the situation escalated.
Villages across the countrysides of Daraa and Quneitra—especially those near the disengagement line with the occupied Golan Heights—are frequently subjected to Israeli attacks, disrupting daily life and undermining the security of local communities.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
