The Israeli military conducted a new operation in Syria's Quneitra province, deploying forces inside prefabricated structures that were transported to the area a day earlier, as reported by the Syrian state news agency SANA.
On April 18, 2026, an Israeli force consisting of two tanks and two military vehicles entered the eastern Tal al-Ahmar hill in southern Quneitra. The force positioned itself inside prefabricated rooms that had been brought to the site on Friday.
This incursion occurred despite Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa expressing the Syrian government's commitment to reaching a security agreement with Israel. Al-Sharaa mentioned in an interview with Anadolu that Syria is actively seeking a security arrangement with Israel to maintain stability in the region. However, negotiations have faced challenges due to Israel's insistence on maintaining a presence on Syrian territory.
Following the collapse of former Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime in December 2024, Israel announced the termination of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and proceeded to occupy the buffer zone along the frontier. Despite the absence of direct threats from the new Syrian administration towards Israel, Israeli airstrikes in Syria have continued since Assad's removal, resulting in civilian casualties and targeting military installations, equipment, and ammunition.
