Israeli Military Ignites Fires to Agricultural Land in Syria

(MENAFN) The Israeli military set large sections of agricultural land in Syria's Quneitra countryside on fire Friday, according to Syrian state media reports. The deliberate fires, which affected vast swathes of land east of the separation fence near the occupied Golan Heights, are causing major concern.

Local media reported that the Israeli forces ignited flames across tens of dunams of land close to the separation fence, just west of the southwestern Syrian town of Al-Rafid. A dunam is equivalent to 1,000 square meters.

The media outlet further revealed that United Nations peacekeepers are working to contain the fires, using basic firefighting tools, but have encountered significant obstacles in their efforts. No additional details were made available.

As of 1515GMT, the Israeli military had not released an official statement clarifying the reasons behind the fires.

In related developments earlier on Friday, Muhammad al-Saeed, deputy governor of Quneitra, spoke with media, revealing that Israel has constructed over eight military bases in the northern part of the governorate — including locations within the Yarmuk Basin — since the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad's regime late last year. Al-Saeed emphasized that these bases were being built in areas designated as buffer zones under the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, calling it a blatant violation of international accords.

The deputy governor also highlighted that Israel’s military activities have resulted in the closure of approximately 6,000 hectares (14,800 acres) of fertile land and pastures, cutting off a key source of income for many local families reliant on livestock farming.

The Golan Heights has been under Israeli occupation since the 1967 Middle East War, and Israel’s annexation of the region remains unrecognized by the international community.

Following the collapse of Assad’s regime in December 2024, Israel has escalated its aerial strikes across Syria, targeting military installations, convoys, and weapons depots. These airstrikes have led to the deaths of numerous civilians while Israeli forces continue their operations within the buffer zone — which Israel considers no longer valid, alongside the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

A transitional government under President Ahmad al-Sharaa took office in Syria in January, after Assad’s departure to Russia, marking the formal end of the Baath Party’s rule in the country.

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