Syria Calls for Halt to Israeli Strikes Amid Rising Tensions in the South
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Syria’s transitional government has urged the international community to take a clear stance to stop Israeli attacks on Syrian territory, as Israel continues to intensify its military operations around the town of Beit Jinn in the country’s south.
During a meeting in Damascus with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Syrian transitional government Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Sheibani said the attack on Beit Jinn constituted “an act of aggression,” affirming his country’s commitment to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. He added that the transitional government is committed to creating conditions that facilitate the return of Syrians living abroad.
For his part, the Danish foreign minister expressed his country’s support for Syria’s recovery and reconstruction efforts, noting Copenhagen’s readiness to increase assistance and revealing interest from several Danish companies in investing in Syria.
In a related context, Syria’s Minister of Information, Hamza al-Mustafa, said in a television interview that the country would not establish any peace relationship with Israel before it withdraws from the territories it seized after December 8, stressing that Damascus refuses to give up any part of its land.
On the ground, Israeli drones have been heavily active over Beit Jinn over the past two days, while Israeli reports indicated that the army has intensified its activity in the south, including ground movements in southern Quneitra. Israeli media said Tel Aviv sent direct messages to the Syrian leadership following the injury of six Israeli soldiers in an incident near the separation line.
Israel’s Channel 13 reported that the army is moving toward increasing reliance on airstrikes and reducing on-the-ground arrest operations in the south, claiming that the recent shooting near Beit Jinn came from local residents.
According to local sources, an Israeli strike early Friday on the town of Beit Jinn in rural Damascus killed 13 people, coinciding with a limited incursion by an Israeli force into the area.
Amid these developments, tensions continue along Syria’s southern border with no clear signs of de-escalation, as political statements between Damascus and Tel Aviv escalate regarding the future of the security situation in the region.
