Israeli Forces Shell Outskirts of Syrian Dam

(MENAFN) Israeli forces fired five mortar rounds Friday toward the outskirts of a dam in a rural area of Quneitra, southwestern Syria, local media reported.

"Israeli occupation forces shelled the outskirts of Mantara Dam in central Quneitra with five mortar rounds," Al-Ikhbariya reported, noting that the outcome of the shelling remained immediately unknown.

The strike occurred against a backdrop of strained but ongoing diplomatic engagement. Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa had previously acknowledged that talks with Israel had not collapsed entirely, though he described progress as difficult due to Israel's insistence on maintaining a territorial presence inside Syria.

Israeli military operations in southern Syria have grown increasingly frequent in recent months, with near-daily accounts of airstrikes, home demolitions, civilian detentions, and checkpoint installations. Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government on December 8, 2024, Israel declared the 1974 disengagement agreement null and void and advanced into the Syrian buffer zone.

Despite the new Syrian transitional administration issuing no threats against Israel, Israeli forces have persisted in conducting strikes across the country, resulting in civilian casualties and the destruction of military infrastructure.

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