UPDATE - Israel stages drone strikes in Damascus countryside, raids in southern Syria

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS

By Laith Al-janidi and Betul Yilmaz

DAMASCUS / ISTANBUL (AA) – Israeli drones struck an area in the Damascus countryside on Wednesday, in the latest violation of Syria’s sovereignty, local media reported.

The state-run TV channel Alikhbariah said that a drone strike targeted Tel Bat al-Warda close to Beit Jinn village in the Damascus countryside.

The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) also reported several drone strikes in the vicinity of Beit Jinn.

No information was yet available about casualties.

According to SANA, Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew intensively over the western Damascus countryside and the northern Quneitra countryside.

On Friday, at least 13 people were killed, including women and children, and 24 others were injured in an Israeli raid in Beit Jinn.

SANA also reported two Israeli raids in the southern Quneitra countryside on Wednesday.

The broadcaster said Israeli forces were stationed in the Um al-Izam village and set up a military checkpoint.

A three-vehicle Israeli patrol also advanced towards Rwihinah village south of the Quneitra countryside.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army or Syrian authorities on the reports.

The latest attack came despite calls for restraint from US President Donald Trump to Israel on Monday.

Syrian government data shows that since December 2024, Israel has carried out over 1,000 airstrikes on Syria and more than 400 cross-border raids into the southern provinces.

After the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in late 2024, Israel expanded its occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights by seizing the demilitarized buffer zone, a move that violated a 1974 agreement with Syria.