Syria: Arrests and Raids Amid New Israeli Incursion in Quneitra Countryside

SadaNews - The countryside of Quneitra in southern Syria witnessed new incursions by the Israeli occupation army this morning, Friday, accompanied by raids, searches, and arrests, while Israeli reconnaissance aircraft intensified their flights over southern Syria, particularly in the provinces of Daraa and Quneitra. The Israeli army admitted to arresting several Syrians during the incursion of "the 226th Brigade forces led by the 210th Division and field investigators from Unit 504" in southern Syria in recent days, claiming "their involvement in advancing terrorist activities against army forces" in the region. It also stated that "during the forces’ search operations, combat means were found in the areas where they operated." Adding that "the 210th Division forces continue to deploy in the area and work to thwart attempts by terrorist elements to establish a presence in the region, in order to ensure the security of the citizens of the State of Israel." Youssef Al-Maslih, editorial official at "The Free Horan Gathering," stated that an Israeli force had entered with two tanks and several military vehicles in the town of Eastern Samdaniya in central Quneitra countryside, conducting searches of homes following a comprehensive sweep via drone reconnaissance. Al-Maslih added, in statements reported by the newspaper "Al-Arabi Al-Jadid," that other Israeli forces had entered yesterday, Thursday, in the village of Ruhaineh in the same countryside, arresting two young men, Ahmed Hussein and Bashar Jassem, before withdrawing from the area. He pointed out that these incursions have become almost daily since the fall of the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime, but their pace has recently intensified, indicating that they constitute "Israeli pressure on the Syrian government whenever negotiations reach contentious points." In the same context, the Syrian "Al-Ikhbariya" channel reported that Israeli vehicles loaded with soldiers invaded last night west of the village of Ain Ziywan in southern Quneitra, without providing additional details. The area has also witnessed a notable escalation in recent days, as the occupation army carried out an aerial drop operation in the area of Jabal Al-Mani' in Al-Kisweh in the Damascus countryside on Wednesday to retrieve its espionage equipment after an attempt by a unit of the Syrian army to dismantle it, leading to its targeting by Israeli aircraft and the killing of six personnel, including a military trainer. In a related development, members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives demanded that Israel immediately cease its strikes on Syria, stressing that their continuation hinders efforts to achieve stability. A joint statement by Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Republican Joni Ernst, and House member Joe Wilson stated that they returned from a visit to Syria where they met President Ahmad al-Shara and a number of ministers and representatives from social and religious components, where "they sensed a clear message that Syria needs a chance to succeed." The statement added, "We call on Israel to seize the moment and stop hostilities immediately so that Syrians and Special Envoy Tom Barrack can continue the progress made. A stable and secure Syria is the only way to break free from Iranian influence and contain the threat of ISIS."