Israeli aircraft carried out strikes on various sites in southern Syria, distributed between the provinces of Daraa, As-Suwayda, and Rif Dimashq.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on Tuesday evening, February 25, that “the air force attacked vigorously” sites in southern Syria “as part of the new policy we defined to calm southern Syria.”
He added, according to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, “The message is clear: We will not allow southern Syria to become southern Lebanon. We will not jeopardize the security of our citizens.”
Katz also mentioned that any attempt by “the Syrian forces and terrorist organizations to establish themselves in the security zone in southern Syria will be met with fire.”
Alikhbaria Syria reported via its official Facebook account that Israeli aircraft attacked several sites in the al-Kiswah area of southern Rif Dimashq in the early hours of Wednesday, February 26.
In response, Israeli Channel 12 reported a series of video recordings and images documenting the occurrence of airstrikes in Rif Dimashq province, without details about the nature of the targeted sites.
Reuters quoted an unnamed Syrian security source stating that Israeli airstrikes hit the town of al-Kiswah, located about 20 kilometers south of the capital Damascus. The source pointed out that the targeted site was a military location but did not provide details about the nature of the target.
The local website Suwayda 24 reported that explosions were heard in western As-Suwayda province, coinciding with Israeli aircraft flying over the southern area.
Additionally, the page Daraa 24 published a video showing airstrikes conducted by Israeli warplanes on military sites previously occupied by the ousted Syrian regime.
According to Daraa 24, Israeli aircraft targeted the area with five strikes, hitting Brigade 12, the agricultural airport, and a former military battalion on the Busra al-Harir road.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Israeli airstrikes were distributed across several provinces, including seven strikes in Aleppo province, seven strikes in Rif Dimashq, five strikes in As-Suwayda province, two strikes in Homs, and one strike in Daraa countryside.
The Observatory indicated that the strikes resulted in casualties and injuries, including civilians and individuals from the Military Operations Administration affiliated with the Syrian Ministry of Defense.
On February 23 of this year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded the disarmament of the provinces of Daraa, As-Suwayda, and Quneitra in southern Syria and the prevention of the new Syrian administration from entering these areas.
Netanyahu stated, “We will not allow (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham) or the new Syrian army to enter the area south of Damascus, and we demand the removal of all weapons from Quneitra, Daraa, and As-Suwayda and the non-entry of the new ruling forces.”
Israel had previously infiltrated southern Syria from the first moments following the fall of the previous Syrian regime on December 8, 2024, coinciding with the destruction of numerous military equipment across various Syrian territories.
Israel continues to be positioned in several Syrian sites, surpassing the buffer zone, claiming to protect its internal security from any threats.