October 19, 2026
Today, October 18, 2026, Damascus escalated its diplomatic tone regarding the ongoing Israeli movements in the south of the country, warning of its security and economic repercussions on the path of recovery and reconstruction in Syria.
In a statement issued by it, the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates expressed its strong condemnation of the escalation of Israeli forces’ incursions into the Quneitra and Daraa countryside governorates during the past few days. The Ministry explained that these ground operations coincided with a noticeable intensification of the flights of military aircraft, helicopters, and reconnaissance aircraft in the airspace of southern Syria.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry considered that these developments represent “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic,” and constitute a direct threat to the security and safety of citizens. It also warned that the continuation of these actions “undermines the chances of achieving stability and security in the region in general and Syria in particular, and hampers reconstruction and recovery efforts.”
At the conclusion of its statement, Damascus called on the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities, and to work to put an immediate end to these violations by obliging Israeli forces to comply with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, stressing that stopping these actions ensures that the region is spared further tension and creates the conditions conducive to achieving sustainable stability.
This official position comes in light of the escalating security tension witnessed recently in the regions of southern Syria, following repeated Israeli raids and incursions in Quneitra and the Daraa countryside in parallel with intense air activity, which brings the issue of sovereignty and security in the border region back to the forefront of the political confrontation between Damascus and Israel.
