Mourners pray over the flag-draped coffins of people killed in reported Israeli shelling on Nawa in Syria's southern province of Daraa, during their funeral. AFP
According to Syrian state news agency SANA, the victims of the strikes were civilians.
The strikes followed Israel's bombardment of five Syrian cities late Wednesday, including more than a dozen hits near a strategic air base in Hama. There, Turkey, a key ally of interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, is believed to have interests in establishing a military presence.
Syria's Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks, stating that they resulted in the "near-total destruction of the Hama military airport" and left dozens of civilians and military personnel wounded.
Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa'ar, further escalated tensions, accusing Turkey of trying to establish a “Turkish protectorate” over Syria. Speaking at a news conference in Paris, Sa’ar said, “It’s clear that this is their intention. We don’t think it was good when Syria was an Iranian proxy, and we don’t think Syria should be a Turkish protectorate either."
In response, Turkey's Foreign Ministry accused Israel of "undermining efforts to establish stability in Syria." He condemned Israel as "the greatest threat to the security of our region," citing its ongoing attacks that threaten the territorial integrity and national unity of regional countries.
Israel has maintained a military presence in southwestern Syria since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad, claiming the
for its security. However, this ground invasion has stoked tensions, further destabilizing Syria and complicating any hopes for long-term peace and reconstruction in the war-ravaged country.
In Daraa province, thousands participated in a procession through the streets of Nawa to bury the dead. Imad al-Basri, an activist from the area, described how Israeli forces advanced into Nawa for the first time on Thursday. As residents attempted to defend their homes, an exchange of fire ensued. Following the skirmish, Israeli forces launched artillery shelling and airstrikes on the area, while ambulances were blocked from reaching the wounded until the morning.
Al-Basri expressed frustration with the Syrian government’s inaction, asking, “Why is the government silent about these incursions?”
Tensions have also flared in the village of Koawaya, where Israeli troops entered the town last month and fired heavy artillery at residents attempting to resist their incursion.
Daraa provincial authorities, in a statement posted on Telegram, gave a provisional toll of "five people killed in the Israeli bombardment of the town of Kuwayya." The statement added that residents of the town, located west of Daraa city, had fled Israeli tank shelling.
On Thursday, Israeli forces dropped flyers in the area, warning residents not to carry weapons or cross a road near the village.
Israel has launched hundreds of strikes on military sites since Assad's fall in December.
It has also deployed to the occupied Golan Heights buffer zone and occupied the area crossing the demarcation line.
The Britain-based Observatory, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria, has reported near-daily Israeli military incursions into southern Syria beyond the demarcation line.
*This story was edited by Ahram Online.
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