Syria demands withdrawal after Israeli troops seize Quneitra land

Protesters filled the streets of Damascus and Homs on Friday to demand the removal of Israeli forces from the southern provinces. The rallies were triggered by a fatal strike that killed Moaz, a man with special needs, earlier in the week. State media reported that crowds denounced the repeated incursions into Quneitra and Daraa.

In Daraa, an AFP correspondent observed hundreds of demonstrators waving Syrian flags. Taysir al-Hariri, a protester at the rally, said the crowd aimed to "send a message to the world" that Syria stands united against Israeli incursions. He added that the nation opposes anyone tempted to tamper with national security. Footage from state television showed marchers holding posters with the slogan "We are all Moaz."

The conflict has expanded beyond the initial strikes. State media reported on Friday that Israeli forces advanced into part of Quneitra province, blocking several roads. Troops in the area have bulldozed olive groves, established checkpoints, and detained local residents. Outside a United Nations building in Damascus, the family of a Syrian man seized by Israel held posters reading "I want my dad" to call for his release.

The current operations continue a pattern of activity since the new Syrian government took power in December 2024. Israeli forces have conducted hundreds of strikes and frequent incursions since displacing Bashar al-Assad. They also entered the UN-patrolled buffer zone that had separated the two militaries on the Golan Heights since 1974.

Israel maintains a presence in a designated security zone in southern Syria. The military seeks to create a broader demilitarized area in the region as it continues its operations.