Israeli Raids Strike Southern Syria as HTS, Kurds Clash Amid Chaos

Date: 16 November 2025 - 21:40

News ID: ۱۴۵۸۵۶

DAMASCUS — Israeli forces carried out multiple incursions into southwestern Syria on Sunday, highlighting the Arab country’s ongoing insecurity amid domestic unrest under Abu Muhammad al-Jolani’s Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) regime.
Five Israeli military vehicles reportedly entered the town of Saida al-Golan in the Quneitra countryside before withdrawing, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
Israeli forces also raided the outskirts of Ma’riya village in Daraa province, with locals reporting destruction of farmland, forested areas, arrests, and new military checkpoints.
Since December 2024, Israel has conducted over 1,000 airstrikes and more than 400 cross-border raids into southern Syria. Following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad later that year, Israel expanded its occupation of the Golan Heights, including the demilitarized buffer zone, in violation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
Analysts say HTS’ inaction and its normalization overtures have emboldened Tel Aviv to escalate its operations.
Meanwhile, fighting continues in northeastern Syria, where Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) repelled an attack by HTS-affiliated factions near Ghanem al-Ali village in Raqqa province.
The SDF reported three fighters were injured while confirming casualties among the attackers. The Kurdish forces accused HTS of using suicide drones and heavy weapons indiscriminately, placing civilians at risk.
“This reckless behavior confirms these parties’ insistence on dragging the region toward tension and undermining stability,” the SDF said.
HTS, led by Jolani, a former commander linked to Al-Qaeda and Daesh, has long been accused of sectarian violence targeting Alawites, Shia Muslims, Druze, and other minorities.
This has made negotiations with Kurdish forces difficult, despite ongoing talks aimed at integrating SDF-controlled areas and institutions into Syria’s federal structures.
Discussions stalled over disagreements regarding decentralization and the SDF’s role in HTS-controlled areas, though they have since resumed, with HTS warning that negotiations “will not be rushed,” according to Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.
Observers say Syria remains in a state of chronic insecurity, caught between repeated Israeli aggression and HTS’ oppressive rule.
Locals report widespread fear as military operations, cross-border attacks, and internal sectarian violence continue to destabilize the country, leaving civilians vulnerable and peace prospects uncertain.