DAMASCUS (Dispatches) – 
Israeli occupation forces conducted multiple ground incursions into southern Syria on Monday, raiding civilian homes and detaining at least one Syrian resident, as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres concluded a landmark visit to Damascus by affirming that the Golan Heights remain Syrian territory.
According to Syria’s Alikhbariah TV, Israeli forces entered the village of Taranja in the northern Quneitra countryside, searched several homes, and detained a Syrian man before withdrawing. 
In a separate operation, troops raided civilian homes in the village of Al-Ardah in the western Daraa countryside amid heavy gunfire. No casualties were reported.
The incursions occurred as Guterres, making the first visit to Syria by a UN chief since 2009, held a press conference in Damascus where he explicitly stated: “I’d like to remind the international community that the Golan Heights are Syrian territory. Violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are unacceptable and must cease.” 
The UN chief urged Israel to comply with the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and confirmed the UN would submit a detailed report on Israeli violations to the Security Council this month.
For months, southern Syria has witnessed recurring Israeli incursions including raids, arrests, and the establishment of military checkpoints. These activities intensified dramatically after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024, when Israel declared the 1974 agreement void and seized control of the Syrian buffer zone.
Local monitors have documented more than 400 ground incursions since December 2024, affecting dozens of villages in Daraa and Quneitra provinces. Amnesty International confirmed Israeli forces destroyed or damaged at least 23 civilian buildings in Quneitra alone.
The timing of Monday’s raids is particularly significant, coming as de facto Syrian president Abu Muhammad al-Jolani announced Damascus is working toward a security agreement with Israel that could lead to “comprehensive peace”.
Critics have characterized his conciliatory approach as appeasement, noting he has admitted to direct U.S.-sponsored negotiations with Israel while Israeli forces maintain a physical presence across southern Syria and occupy parts of the country.
Despite the diplomatic overtures, Israel has established at least nine forward military bases in Quneitra province and conducted daily invasions that have become part of routine life for border villagers. 
The Syrian Network for Human Rights has documented 29 civilian deaths, including three children, and 147 cases of kidnapping and arbitrary detention since December 2024.
Villagers in the Yarmouk Basin live in constant anticipation of the next incursion, with residents unable to access agricultural lands and livestock herders facing routine detention. 
On Sunday, Israeli forces had already stormed the villages of Maariyah and Al-Ardah, dropping leaflets warning residents against obstructing military vehicles.