Israeli Army Shells Western Villages of Deraa in Syria

The Israeli army attacked the western villages of Deraa province in southern Syria at dawn on Monday, firing artillery and machine guns, the Syrian state news agency SANA reported, cited by Al Jazeera.

According to the report, Israeli forces struck the Abidin and Ruqad valleys with several artillery shells, while simultaneously targeting the town of Jamlah with machine-gun fire. Israeli soldiers also attacked from a position along the 1974 disengagement line toward the outskirts of the town of Abidin.

The Ruqad and Abidin valleys form the border zone between the Syrian provinces of Quneitra and Deraa and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. According to SANA, no casualties have been reported so far.

The attack comes amid an escalation of the regional conflict: Israel has stepped up operations in southern Syria and southern Lebanon, while the U.S.–Iran war continues to expand beyond borders. Earlier today, Israeli forces were reported to have entered southern Syria and set up a checkpoint near Quneitra.

Source: Al Jazeera (citing SANA)