ALWAGHT- Israeli tanks and armored vehicles entered several towns in Syria’s Quneitra, damaging streets, water networks, and electricity poles in the southwestern province.
On Sunday, reports revealed that many residents of Quneitra refused to comply with evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military. In retaliation, Israeli forces deliberately destroyed water supply networks and power lines in newly occupied areas, cutting off essential services. In the town of al-Hamidiyah, occupation forces further damaged infrastructure by cutting down roadside trees and destroying power poles.
Early that morning, Israeli airstrikes targeted sites near Damascus, with Israeli media claiming the destruction of missile warehouses and launchers near Qastal in the Qalamoun region. On Saturday, Israeli forces, backed by airpower, invaded an abandoned Syrian army command center in al-Hamidiyah, reportedly searching for weapons. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 61 missiles were launched by Israel against Syrian targets in under five hours.
Israel’s recent push into Syrian territory began on December 8, following claims by foreign-backed militants led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) that President Bashar al-Assad’s government had collapsed after a rapid offensive. Israeli forces seized the so-called buffer zone, violating a 1974 UN-brokered disengagement agreement, and occupied Jabal al-Shaykh, a key strategic summit overlooking parts of Syria and Lebanon. The advance continued beyond the buffer zone toward Damascus.
The Israeli military has conducted nearly 500 aerial assaults on Syria during this operation, claiming to have destroyed Syria’s navy and 90 percent of its surface-to-air missile systems. This aggressive expansion has further escalated tensions in the region, as Israel asserts control over strategic areas while crippling Syria’s defenses.