Israel Has Carried Out More Than 1,000 Incursions into Southern Syria Since 2024: Monitor

A Britain-based war monitor says Israeli military forces have carried out at least 1,004 incursions into southern Syria since militant factions led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) overthrew the government of former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Israeli forces have expanded their military operations, conducted search and abduction campaigns, reinforced their positions and bulldozed areas in southern Syria.

The monitor said its sources documented nearly 460 Israeli incursions in Syria during 2025, while another 530 have been recorded since the beginning of 2026. The operations have continued despite a high-level meeting in Jordan between HTS regime Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Israeli Mossad director Roman Gofman. According to informed sources, the talks included discussions on establishing a US-supervised “special operations room” in Jordan to prevent potential clashes in Syria, particularly those involving Turkiye.

The Israeli military has also carried out repeated airstrikes against Syrian military facilities and stockpiles since the collapse of Assad’s government. On August 18, Israeli warplanes conducted eight strikes on the runway of Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase in northwestern Idlib, damaging its infrastructure while a Turkish military delegation was reportedly present. Israel has faced widespread criticism for abandoning the 1974 ceasefire agreement with Syria and exploiting the country’s instability to expand its territorial presence. The provinces of Quneitra, Dara’a and Damascus account for around 80 percent of the documented Israeli attacks.