Israeli forces advance into southwestern Syria's Quneitra province: State media

Israeli forces on Friday advanced into an area west of the town of Al-Rafid in Syria's southwestern Quneitra province, Syria's state-run Alikhbaria television channel reported.

"Israeli occupation forces advanced west of Al-Rafid in the southern Quneitra countryside," the channel said in a social-media post without providing additional details.

On Wednesday, Israeli forces reportedly carried out raids elsewhere in Quneitra, detaining two people.

Last month, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said Damascus was working on reaching a security agreement with Israel that would "pave the way for a comprehensive peace without relinquishing Syria's right to the occupied Golan Heights."

Israel has occupied most of the Syrian Golan Heights since 1967.

Before the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in late 2024, Israel frequently carried out strikes on positions in Syria that it claimed were linked to Iranian-backed forces.

Since Assad's departure, Israel has vastly expanded the scope of its strikes to include weapons depots and strategic military positions throughout the country.