In the village of Koayiah in southwestern Syria, an Israeli assault resulted in the deaths of at least six individuals on Tuesday, as confirmed by Syria’s Foreign Ministry and a monitoring organization. Israeli military personnel, led by spokesperson Avichay Adraee, responded to attackers by returning fire and proceeding with a drone assault.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry reported that those killed were civilians, while the state-run SANA news agency indicated that several were injured, including a woman. The conflict also involved Israeli tanks firing multiple rounds in the village. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in the UK, claimed the death toll had reached seven.
The Foreign Ministry condemned Israel’s actions as a “blatant infringement of national sovereignty and international law,” urging the Syrian populace to maintain their lands and resist forced displacement while emphasizing that such aggression will not deter Syrians from defending their rights and land.
Encounters ensued between Israeli forces and local residents when Israeli troops attempted to enter the village, facing opposition from armed civilians, as reported by the monitoring group and a local source. Residents fled the violence to neighboring villages and olive groves for safety.
Following the overthrow of President Bashar Assad by Islamist insurgents in December, Israel seized a buffer zone monitored by the UN inside Syria. Israeli authorities have stated they will counter any perceived threats and have made it clear they will prevent the re-establishment of a new Syrian military presence south of Damascus, citing the protection of the Druze community, a minority group in Syria and Israel, as a justification.
The Syrian new authorities, along with UN officials, have accused Israel of breaching the 1974 buffer zone agreement and have demanded its withdrawal.
Meanwhile, an investigative committee in Syria is examining recent clashes and retaliations that occurred on the coast, leading to hundreds of civilian deaths. Yasser al-Farhan, the spokesperson for the committee, disclosed that nearly 100 testimonies have been collected, alongside numerous written and recorded statements from civilians and military personnel. However, he noted the difficulty in contacting some witnesses due to safety concerns without revealing the interim findings.
The unrest began after a pro-Assad faction attacked a security patrol in Lattakia, sparking retribution that targeted Assad’s minority Alawite sect. The violence significantly challenged Damascus’ attempts to rehabilitate its image and advocate for the removal of European and American economic sanctions after more than a decade of continuous strife.
Additionally, sabotage led to the severing of two internet cables on the same day, causing a 12-hour nationwide internet outage, as reported by SANA.