Israeli forces advanced into the western countryside of Daraa (southern Syria) on Sunday, September 14, carrying out searches inside residential neighborhoods.
Enab Baladi’s correspondent in Daraa reported that the force consisted of 18 military vehicles that stormed homes in the village of Saysoon, searching for weapons without making any arrests.
The Israeli military set up checkpoints at the entrances to the village, while other vehicles deployed around the Jamlah military outpost without raiding or searching its houses.
On Thursday, September 11, another Israeli unit raided the village of Abidin in the Yarmouk Basin area of western Daraa countryside, arresting a father and son before releasing them hours later, according to Enab Baladi’s correspondent.
A local activist, who requested anonymity for security reasons, told Enab Baladi that Israel’s repeated detentions aim to collect intelligence information.
The activist noted that Abidin fell under Islamic State (ISIS) control at the end of 2014, prompting residents to seek refuge in opposition-held areas before the fall of the Assad regime.
Abidin is located near the border triangle between Syria, Jordan, and the occupied territories, about 40 kilometers from the city of Daraa.
Repeated detentions
On September 4, an Israeli force of more than ten vehicles entered Abidin and searched two houses before withdrawing without making arrests, Enab Baladi reported at the time.
Since early August, Israeli forces have stepped up raids in the village, previously detaining two young men before releasing them hours later.
On August 21, the Israeli army arrested three young men on charges of possessing weapons.
In March, Israeli forces detained two farmers in the valley of the town of Kuya (in western Daraa countryside) while they were working on their land, later releasing them with warnings to deliver messages to locals not to enter the valley, according to one of the detainees.
On July 2, Israeli forces arrested three young men from the villages of Umm al-Luqas and al-Basali, accusing them of working for a Hezbollah cell, before releasing them hours later.
On July 7, Israel announced it had carried out a “special” operation in the Tel Qudna area in southern Daraa countryside, capturing a cell accused of working for Iran’s Quds Force. Six other individuals were arrested in southern Quneitra villages, including Ain al-Zeitoun and al-Dawaya al-Kubra, on charges of belonging to Hezbollah.
Israeli forces had earlier occupied al-Jazira hill west of the town of Maariyah (in far western Daraa countryside) on December 8, 2024, the day the former Syrian regime collapsed. The site has since been fortified with tanks, vehicles, and drone launchers.
Since taking control of al-Jazira, Israel has sought to impose a new security reality, raiding nearby villages in the Yarmouk Basin in search of wanted men and weapons.
Al-Jazira is considered a strategic location separating the Wadi al-Raqqad and Wadi al-Yarmouk valleys. It overlooks most villages of the basin and borders Jordan to the south and the occupied Golan Heights to the west.
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