Israel Expands Military Operations Across Southern Syria as Damascus and UN Warn on Sovereignty

Israeli forces have carried out new military operations in southern Syria, drawing warnings from Damascus and the United Nations over sovereignty and international law.

• Israeli forces have conducted incursions in Quneitra, rural Damascus and Daraa, setting up a checkpoint, deploying in villages and firing toward civilian homes.
• The Israeli news outlet Walla reported that an officer said soldiers expressed a desire to advance toward Damascus, a proposal raised during the army chief of staff's visit.
• Syria's UN envoy Ibrahim al-Arabi warned that undermining Syria's sovereignty threatens the international order and urged compliance with the 1974 disengagement agreement.
• The United Nations has warned that some Israeli military practices may constitute violations of international law.