Israeli occupation forces (IOF) launched a large-scale raid on the Syrian village of Taranja in the Quneitra countryside this morning, arresting a young man and whisking him away to an undisclosed location.

The incursion, involving approximately 100 soldiers, 20 military vehicles, and reconnaissance aircraft, saw Israeli troops storm civilian homes, assault residents, and withdraw after hours of terrorizing the local population. This latest operation is part of Israel’s relentless and illegal expansionist campaign across southern Syria, further destabilizing the region and trampling on Syrian sovereignty.

The raid follows a pattern of intensified Israeli incursions into Syrian territory in recent weeks. Just a day prior, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Israeli forces invaded al-Samadaniyah al-Sharqiyah, searching five homes before retreating. In another provocative move, troops from the Tal Ahmar al-Gharbi base advanced toward the Briqa–Kodnah road, establishing a new military checkpoint. Between June 9 and July 5, 2025, Israel conducted at least 22 ground incursions across Quneitra, the Damascus countryside, and Daraa governorates, often accompanied by home demolitions, mass arrests, and temporary checkpoints, all aimed at consolidating control over Syrian land.

Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024, Israel has aggressively expanded its occupation, seizing between 500 and 600 square kilometers of Syrian territory, including 95% of Quneitra Governorate. The occupation now stretches from Mount Hermon through Quneitra to Daraa, with Israel establishing ten permanent military bases, six in the past three months alone. Strategic sites such as Jubata al-Khashab, Qurs al-Nafal, al-Qahtaniyah, the eastern al-Ahmar hill, and Tulul al-Humr—located just 40 kilometers from Damascus—have been transformed into fortified outposts of Israeli control.

Compounding this imperialist agenda, Israel has tightened its grip on critical water resources, including the Sheikh Hussein and Sahm Golan dams, the Yarmouk riverbed, and al-Wahda Dam. These actions not only violate international law but also exacerbate the humanitarian crisis for Syrians already reeling from years of conflict.

The Quneitra raid and Israel’s broader campaign in southern Syria reflect a calculated strategy to entrench its illegal occupation and reshape the region to serve its expansionist ambitions. As Israeli forces continue their assaults on Syrian and Palestinian communities—mirrored by ongoing raids in the West Bank—the international community must condemn these flagrant violations and demand an end to Israel’s unchecked aggression in the Middle East. (ILKHA)