GHADIR AL-BUSTAN, Syria — Officials from Syria’s newly established de facto government expressed strong opposition Thursday to Israeli military incursions into Syrian territory following a recent airstrike that resulted in the deaths of three individuals and left five others injured in the southern region of the country.
Ahmad al-Sharaa, who leads the new administration and previously went by Mohammad al-Jolani, declared at a press conference in Damascus that the justifications for Israel’s actions—citing the presence of Iranian militias—are no longer valid in light of the changes following the liberation of Damascus. He emphasized that Israel’s pretext of advancing into the buffer zone is illegitimate now.
Historically, the Syrian-Israeli border has remained relatively stable since the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, which established a United Nations-administered demilitarized buffer zone following the 1973 war. However, following the ousting of Syrian President Bashar Assad on December 8, Israeli troops entered this buffer zone, claiming it was a temporary measure to counter perceived threats. This incursion prompted backlash and demonstrations from local populations and various Arab nations.
During the press conference with the visiting foreign minister of Qatar, Sharaa remarked that Syria is open to the inclusion of international forces in the buffer zone. He highlighted Qatar’s significant role in advocating for international pressure on Israel to withdraw forces from the area.
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, publicly condemned the Israeli occupation of the buffer zone and called for an immediate withdrawal of their forces. In a move that escalated tensions, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier directed troops to “take over” the buffer zone, where several Syrian villages are situated, asserting that they would remain until a new security arrangement is reached.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani voiced in a Turkish media interview that the areas are rightfully Syrian and not under the regime’s domain, stressing the need to defend national sovereignty. He called for international voices to pressure Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories, advocating for the principle of reciprocal respect among nations for ensuring their respective securities.
In recent months, Israel has conducted numerous airstrikes targeting the Syrian government’s military capabilities, including jets, tanks, and missile systems. The latest strike occurred on Wednesday in the village of Ghadir al-Bustan, resulting in the deaths of at least three individuals and injuring several others, as confirmed by local residents and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an organization monitoring the conflict.
Among the deceased were a local municipal official and members of the security forces connected to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist faction that previously spearheaded military operations against Assad’s government and is now part of Syria’s new governance. While the Israeli military claimed the strikes were aimed at vehicles carrying arms, HTS has not issued an official response to the attack.
A local teacher, Nizar Mchel, reported that the new government’s military and security forces had initiated a campaign to seize unauthorized weapons, suggesting that the Israeli drones targeted a convoy involved in this operation as it moved north of the village.
During the funeral of Abdo Ali Kouma, one of the fatalities, numerous mourners carried his wooden casket to its final resting place, offering prayers and condolences. Abed al-Rahman al-Bustani, Kouma’s cousin, recounted their last moments together, highlighting the tragic timing of the strike shortly after they had shared a meal. He described the attack, which occurred just meters from their gathering, causing significant devastation among the local community.
Al-Bustani expressed concern over the deteriorating situation, voicing a collective demand for Israel’s withdrawal. He lamented the destruction of homes, constant surveillance from drones, and the pervasive fear among residents, emphasizing that they pose no threat to Israeli security.
