Israel has launched air and artillery strikes targeting military assets in southern Syria after two missiles, which may have originated from Syrian territory, hit Israeli-held Golan Heights yesterday and caused no casualties; their impact indicates an escalation in relations between both nations.
On June 3rd, Israel’s military confirmed two rockets fired from Syria were launched into areas under Golan Heights control by Israel’s military and caused no injuries. Their source remains unclear but a group claiming responsibility via Telegram with the name Mohammed Deif Brigades–bearing that of a dead Hamas commander–has claimed they fired these shots. Israeli officials remain wary about this claim. timesofisrael.com +5 and aljazeera.com both report this news.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz quickly responded by asserting that Syria’s new government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa would be held liable for any aggression emanating from their territory and warned of a full response should hostilities continue.
AAPnews.com+6 AND Ft.com =6
Israeli Military Retaliation Israel Defense Forces announced their attacks against Syrian military arms facilities located in southern Daraa Province and nearby Quneitra near Quneitra. State media in Syria reported “significant human and material losses” there as a result, and artillery fire is said to have hit Wadi Yarmouk region too, according to aljazeera.com + 1 and Wikipedia respectively.
Israeli airstrikes in Daraa followed artillery shelling on Monday, marking Israel’s return to southern Syria after almost one month’s absence. Damascus has accused Israel of increasing tensions, particularly after recent diplomatic talks between Washington and Syria intended to stabilize the region. mes Reuters.com
Political Context
Israel has expanded its military posture in Syria since Bashar al-Assad’s regime fell in December 2024, seizing parts of a UN-monitored buffer zone and intensifying airstrikes targeting Syrian army and militia positions – actions strongly condemned by Damascus and regional players alike.
Apnews.com | Ft.com | En.wikipedia
Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Katz and other Israeli officials have repeatedly called for the demilitarization of southern Syria regions such as Daraa, Quneitra and Suwayda to form a buffer zone to protect Israeli border communities and Syrian Druze villages. Each time this demand was voiced publicly by PM Netanyahu or Defence Minister Katz they reiterated Israel’s long-term presence there and emphasised it further with comments like these from Washington Post reporter Dan Balz (see:https://en.wikipedia.org/80669163899568471.html+5
International Implications
While Syria’s new interim government has expressed a desire to engage in dialogue and reconstruction efforts, Israel holds Syria responsible for any hostile acts carried out by any group within Syria’s borders, regardless of who initiated them. Meanwhile, the U.S. has adopted a more neutral, cautious stance and encouraged normalization with al-Sharaa’s new administration – see APNews +1 or Financial Times for details.
A recent spate of violence is testing recent diplomatic progress towards deescalating Syria-Israel tensions, but any miscalculation could derail negotiations and lead to wider regional instability. For more details see youtube.com+5 or ft.com +5.
Summary and Future Risks
Immediate Consequences: Israel’s strikes may damage Syria military infrastructure but also risk inflaming anti-Israel sentiment and sparking reciprocal attacks between Iran and Israel.
Strategic Posture: Israel appears committed to maintaining a demilitarized buffer zone beyond the internationally acknowledged Purple Line.
Diplomatic Gamble: Any efforts by the United States and international actors to stabilize Syria could be undermined if further exchanges take place.
As 2019 unfolds, the region faces greater instability than ever. Key questions for Syria’s new government and Israel’s buffer strategy include their ability to control militant groups as well as whether any renewed missile or drone launches toward Golan might spark heavier confrontations that draw in allies of Syria or Iran-align militias into battles that escalate further.