In a fresh escalation of Israeli aggression against Syrian territory, the Israeli military has carried out airstrikes on the outskirts of Al-Kiswah, south of Damascus, alongside a ground incursion into Quneitra and Daraa, with intensive aerial surveillance by fighter jets and drones.
The strikes resulted in the killing of two Syrian army soldiers, according to Syrian state media reports. Israeli media outlets, including Channel 14, claimed the attacks targeted former military sites once used by the Syrian army. Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Minister Yisrael Katz stated that the assault was part of a new policy aimed at disarming southern Syria. He warned that any attempt by the Syrian regime or so-called “terrorist organisations” to establish a presence in the south would be met with force.
This Israeli rhetoric reflects a long-standing strategy of using security pretexts to justify excessive military force, in blatant violation of the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit indiscriminate attacks on both military and civilian targets. Citing security threats does not legitimise pre-emptive aggression, which instead serves to entrench military dominance and occupation across the region.
This latest military escalation comes at a time when Syrian civilians continue to endure the consequences of years of conflict, blockade, and systemic human rights violations. Israeli airstrikes only exacerbate the already dire humanitarian and security situation, pushing communities further into instability and displacement.
The combined aerial bombardment and ground incursions threaten to escalate the conflict, forcing yet more Syrian families from their homes, particularly given the absence of any meaningful international accountability for Israel’s repeated violations.
These continued Israeli assaults constitute a flagrant breach of Syria’s sovereignty and a serious contravention of international law, which explicitly prohibits military attacks on sovereign nations without UN authorisation or a valid legal basis. The United Nations Charter strictly forbids the use of force in international relations, except in cases of self-defence. This justification does not apply to Israel’s pre-emptive and unprovoked strikes.
The international community’s failure to act in response to repeated Israeli airstrikes only emboldens the occupation to persist in its unchecked use of military force. This continued silence raises serious concerns over the selective application of international law, where Israeli violations are overlooked. At the same time, other states are subjected to strict legal scrutiny under the guise of upholding human rights and the rule of law.
