Israeli military incursions and arrests occur in southern Syria

Israeli military forces entered Jabata al-Khashab in the northern Quneitra countryside of southern Syria on Friday, November 14, 2026. The operation involved more than 9 military vehicles and included searches of multiple homes. During the incursion, soldiers damaged commercial shops by breaking windows and removing doors.

Detentions and arrests in Quneitra

Three individuals were arrested during the Jabata al-Khashab operation. Reports regarding the status of these detainees vary; one report states one individual was released later that same night while the others were released by Saturday morning, whereas another report states two young men were released at a checkpoint between Jabata al-Khashab and Ain al-Bayda.

The Saja Center reported that Israeli forces have detained approximately 237 Syrians since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime on December 8, 2024. According to the Saja Center, 43 people remained in detention as of the end of July 2026. Al-Ikhbariya al-Suriya stated that over 40 Syrians have been kidnapped by Israel.

Previous incidents of detention in the region include an arrest on October 23, 2025, when an individual was detained by Israeli forces while herding sheep near Hadar in the northern Quneitra countryside. Records indicate that 5 Syrians were detained prior to the fall of the regime.

Military movements and artillery strikes

Israeli forces have conducted excavation and leveling work in western Daraa to create a new military path from the Sihan observatory toward Wadi al-Raqad. Additionally, Syrian state news agency SANA reported that Israeli forces targeted the outskirts of Barika in the central Quneitra countryside with four artillery shells on Thursday, November 13, 2026.

The 1974 Disengagement Agreement governs the ceasefire in the region, which remains a point of tension following the collapse of the previous government. The fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime on December 8, 2024, marked a significant shift in the political landscape of the area.

Public protests in southern Syria

Dozens of residents from Quneitra, Daraa, and the Damascus countryside held a protest on Friday, November 14, 2026. The demonstrators gathered in front of the UNDOF headquarters in Nabk al-Fawar to express their concerns regarding the ongoing military activity in the region.

Glossary

• Quneitra — Quneitra is a city and a governorate in southern Syria. It has served as a location for military headquarters and is part of the northern countryside where military activity occurs.
• Ain al-Bayda — Ain al-Bayda is an area located in the countryside of Quneitra in southern Syria.
• Hadar — Hadar refers to Emiratis whose ancestors traditionally lived in permanent towns, villages, and oasis settlements. This group is generally contrasted with nomadic or semi-nomadic communities known as Badu.
• Daraa — Daraa is a district and city in southern Syria. The social structure of the surrounding Hauran plain is characterized by networks of large extended agrarian clans.
• Barika — Barika is an arrondissement that was incorporated into the department of Sétif from the department of Batna.