UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an immediate end to Israeli military incursions into Syrian territory. In a statement posted on his official X account during an official visit to Syria, Guterres said Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be fully respected. The report was published on July 26, 2026, as he undertakes what it describes as a historic visit to the country.

Guterres said Israel was violating the 1974 disengagement agreement and that such violations were wholly unacceptable and must stop. The agreement was signed between Syria and Israel after the 1973 war, according to the report. He also stressed the need to give full importance and respect to Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity.

The visit marks the first official trip to Syria by a UN chief in 17 years, the report said. It added that Israel has occupied Syria’s Golan Heights since 1967. After former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was removed from power in December 2024, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz instructed Israeli forces to take full control of the Golan Heights buffer zone, contributing to renewed tensions in the area.