Israel shells southern Syria after Al-Sharaa refuses to intervene in Lebanon - BT News
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The move was perceived by observers as an attempt to pressure Syria’s interim government, after Al-Sharaa demonstrated openness to dialogue with Hezbollah.

On Monday, June 29, the IOF launched an offensive on the village of Abidin in western Daraa, with artillery shells and gunfire from helicopters.

Although no casualties or material damage were reported, the violent attack triggered panic among the residents of Abidin, forcing a number of families to flee to other areas.

The past week saw an escalation in the IOF’s ground incursions into the villages of the southern governorates of Daraa and Quneitra, with Israeli military checkpoints being set up and Syrian civilians being searched.

Despite engaging in talks with Tel Aviv for over a year, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have continued to violate Syria’s sovereignty with repeated assaults.

Read more: Israel’s multifront war continues as attacks against Syria intensify

In early 2026, negotiations between Tel Aviv and Damascus resulted in signing a trilateral agreement in Paris to establish a communication cell under US supervision, referred to as the Joint Fusion Mechanism.

Yet, the mechanism only resulted in a reduction in Israeli military incursions in southern Syria. Talks have been stalled ever since, as Syria’s interim government insists on a total Israeli military withdrawal as a primary condition for any advancement toward a security pact or normalization.

Read more: Netanyahu makes provocative visit to southern Syria as Israeli-Syrian security talks reach deadlock

For many, the Israeli escalation constitutes an attempt to blackmail Syria’s interim government after Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa dismissed a proposal from US President Donald Trump to intervene in Lebanon in order to dismantle Hezbollah.

Al-Sharaa also demonstrated his openness to dialogue with Hezbollah after years of hostile rhetoric against the Lebanese resistance group in particular and the Iran-led Axis of Resistance in general.

The abrupt change in Al-Sharaa’s declared position towards Hezbollah has undoubtedly deepened Israel’s fears of losing its security grip over its neighboring countries.

Moreover, the shift in the Syrian president’s stance indicates that the Axis of Resistance, the only anti-imperialist power in West Asia, is growing stronger. This in turn represents an existential threat to the Israeli occupation state and its expansionist ambitions in the region.

Zoe. , June 30, 2026

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