Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) armored vehicles and tanks entered Syria’s southern Quneitra province near the occupied Golan Heights, conducting a sudden search operation, according to Syria’s state news agency SANA. The incursion occurred on May 16, 2026, and has sparked renewed local tension and concern in the strategic border region.

Government and local media sources reported two separate incidents. In the first, four Israeli military vehicles entered the rural village of Saida al-Hanout, surrounding several homes but making no arrests. Shortly afterward, three Israeli tanks crossed the border near Tel al-Dreiat, close to the village of al-Muallaka, before returning to their previous positions without any clashes or gunfire. The IDF has not issued an official statement on the operations.

Analysts noted that the Golan-adjacent border area remains highly sensitive, and any military movement there poses regional security risks. Syrian state media described the incursion as a violation of sovereignty, prompting tighter border surveillance.

Amnesty International has called for an investigation into alleged war crimes by Israeli forces following the destruction of homes in southern Syria. The rights organization made the appeal after reports that Israeli military operations and shelling in the region had intensified, causing extensive damage to agricultural land and residential areas.

According to Amnesty, Israel has violated the 1974 disengagement agreement by seizing additional Syrian territory beyond the occupied Golan Heights. Local Syrian residents have accused Israeli forces of conducting frequent raids, detaining young men, and using herbicides that prevent farmers from accessing their land. These actions have prompted Amnesty to demand a formal war crimes investigation.

The call for investigation highlights growing concerns over Israel’s military activities in Syria and their impact on civilians, though no official response from Israeli authorities was mentioned in the report.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara carried out a major government reshuffle on Saturday, removing several ministers and officials, including his own brother. According to the state news agency SANA, former Homs governor Abdul Rahman Badruddin al-Ama was appointed as Secretary-General of the Presidency, replacing Shara’s brother, Maher al-Shara. Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa and Agriculture Minister Amjad Badr were also dismissed, with Khaled Fawaz Jarour and Basel Hafez al-Suwaidan appointed as their successors respectively.

The report noted that Khaled Fawaz Jarour previously headed the Faculty of Media at Damascus University. The reasons behind the reshuffle have not yet been disclosed. The move follows the 2025 formation of Syria’s interim cabinet, which came after long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad was ousted in 2024 and was reportedly dominated by Shara’s close associates.

In addition to the ministerial changes, President Shara appointed new governors in several provinces, including Homs, Quneitra, Latakia, and Deir Ezzor.

Jordan carried out airstrikes in southern Syria early Sunday, targeting suspected bases and warehouses used for drug and arms smuggling. The Jordanian Armed Forces said the operation aimed to curb illegal trafficking activities along the border. According to the state news agency Petra, the targeted sites were identified through intelligence and destroyed to ensure national security amid rising smuggling attempts.

Syrian state media Al-Ikhbariya reported that the strikes hit a facility in Shahba village in Suwayda province, believed to store weapons and narcotics. Additional attacks were observed near a former security branch base, where drone and ambulance movements were seen. Analysts noted that smuggling networks have remained active along the Syria-Jordan border for years, prompting Jordan to conduct similar operations in the past.

The incident comes amid Syria’s ongoing political transition following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024 and the formation of an interim government led by Ahmad al-Sharar in early 2025, which is seeking to reintegrate the country internationally.

Syria has launched its first judicial proceedings against ousted president Bashar al-Assad and senior members of his former government. The public hearing began at 11 a.m. on Sunday in Damascus, marking the start of trials under the interim government. Only one defendant, Atef Najib, Assad’s cousin and a former brigadier general, appeared in court. Najib, who once headed the political security branch in Daraa province, was brought in handcuffed and placed in a cage inside the courtroom.

Najib is accused of leading crackdowns and arrests in Daraa in 2011, when teenagers were detained and tortured for anti-government graffiti, sparking nationwide protests that escalated into a 13-year civil war. The conflict ended with Assad’s downfall on December 8, 2024, leaving over half a million dead and displacing hundreds of thousands. Assad fled to Russia after his ouster, along with many close allies.

The court set May 10 for the next hearing. Other defendants to be tried in person include Assad’s relative Wasim al-Assad, former Grand Mufti Ahmed Badruddin Hassoun, and several military and security officials arrested in recent months.

Syria has launched its first public trial against officials linked to the rule of former President Bashar al-Assad. According to the state news agency SANA, the proceedings began on Sunday in Damascus, where Atef Najib, a former brigadier general and Assad’s cousin, appeared in court. Najib, who once headed the political security branch in Daraa province, faces charges of committing crimes against the Syrian people.

In 2011, Najib held that position when teenagers were arrested and tortured for anti-government graffiti in Daraa, an incident that sparked mass protests against Assad’s security forces. The government’s violent crackdown escalated into a 14-year civil war, which ended in December 2024 after Assad was ousted in a surprise offensive by armed opposition forces. Assad later fled to Russia, along with many of his close associates.

The case also names Assad, his brother Maher al-Assad, and several senior security officials, all charged in absentia. Najib is the only one arrested and presented before the court. The initial hearing took place on Sunday and will resume next month, with citizens gathering outside the court to welcome the start of the trial.

Syria announced on Thursday that it has taken full control of all military sites previously used by US forces, marking the completion of a coordinated handover following the departure of the final US convoy from Qasrak air base in Hasakah. The move ends a US military presence that began in 2014 during the campaign against ISIL. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with senior Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) leaders Mazloum Abdi and Ilham Ahmad in Damascus to mark the transition, alongside senior government officials overseeing the integration of Kurdish-led fighters into national structures.

The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the handover reflected efforts to restore unified state authority across the country, including areas long outside Damascus’s control. It added that the process was conducted in full coordination with the United States, citing a constructive relationship that has developed since al-Sharaa’s meeting with US President Donald Trump in November. US Central Command confirmed that all major bases had been turned over as part of a deliberate, conditions-based transition.

The transfer follows a January deal between Damascus and the SDF that brought Kurdish fighters into the Syrian national army and restored government control over key cities and border areas.

After decades without legal status, Syria’s Kurdish population has begun registering for citizenship across the country. The process started last week following a directive from the Interior Ministry, implementing a January decree by President Ahmed al-Sharar granting citizenship to unregistered Kurds. Many applicants, such as 49-year-old Ahmad, described the hardships of living without official documents, including inability to register property, study, or travel.

The decree recognizes Kurdish cultural and linguistic rights and designates Kurdish as a national language. It follows recent clashes between Kurdish fighters and government forces in the northeast, where Kurdish authorities once held control. A February agreement integrated Kurdish administration into the central state, and a senior Kurdish commander, Sipan Hamo, was appointed as assistant deputy defense minister for the eastern region.

Officials said registration centers will remain open for one month, with possible extensions. Civil Affairs officer Abdallah al-Abdallah called the restoration of citizenship the greatest compensation for those long deprived of it.

Syria has strongly condemned Israel’s recent attacks in Lebanon and called for an immediate ceasefire. In a statement issued by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government described the assault on what it called the “brotherly” nation of Lebanon as a clear violation of international law, international humanitarian law, and the principles of the United Nations Charter.

According to the statement, Israeli forces carried out strikes on nearly 100 targets across Lebanon within just ten minutes on Wednesday, with most of the attacks concentrated in the capital, Beirut. The ministry said that more than 250 people were killed and over 1,160 others injured in the attacks. The condemnation was also reiterated in a post on the social media platform X, emphasizing that Israel’s continued assaults constitute a blatant breach of international norms.

The report, citing Middle East Eye, highlights the scale of the strikes and the mounting civilian toll, underscoring Syria’s demand for an immediate cessation of hostilities.

During a visit to London on Tuesday, Syrian President Ahmed Al-Shara stated that Syria will not engage in any war unless it is directly attacked. His remarks came amid escalating tensions following a joint United States-Israel strike on Iran, which prompted Iran to retaliate against American bases in the Middle East.

Speaking at the Chatham House think tank in central London, Shara emphasized that after fourteen years of civil war, he does not want Syria to be drawn into another conflict. He repeatedly stressed the importance of keeping his country away from war and clarified that Damascus would not join the U.S.-Israel confrontation against Iran unless Syria itself is targeted.

Shara added that Syria would refrain from involvement as long as no external pressure is applied and no diplomatic solution is reached, underscoring his government’s cautious stance amid regional instability.

A drone attack launched from Iraq targeted a US military base in Kasrak, Syria, on the morning of March 29, 2026, according to Syrian Deputy Defense Minister Sipan Hamo. He stated that four drones were fired from Iraqi territory toward the base but were intercepted without causing any casualties. The Syrian official confirmed that the attack was successfully repelled.

Hamo said Syria holds Iraq responsible for the incident and urged it to prevent such actions that threaten regional stability. The statement was posted on social media platform X, where he emphasized the need to stop the recurrence of similar attacks.

The report added that a day earlier, the Syrian army claimed to have intercepted another drone attack from Iraq targeting the Al-Tanf base in southeastern Syria, a site previously used by US forces.

Syrian President Ahmed Al-Shara said his government is working to keep the country away from the ongoing Middle East war. Speaking after Eid al-Fitr prayers at the presidential palace in Damascus on Friday, he emphasized that Syria is taking every step with extreme caution to avoid involvement in any conflict.

Al-Shara noted that Syria had long been a center of conflict and instability for over 15 years but is now maintaining good relations with neighboring countries both regionally and internationally. He described the current situation as one of the most significant and rare historical events since World War II.

The president added that Syria’s careful approach aims to ensure the nation can continue on a path of development and reconstruction while avoiding entanglement in regional hostilities.

Syria’s government has accused Iran-backed Hezbollah of launching missiles from Lebanon into Syrian territory overnight. According to Syria’s state news agency SANA, citing a military official, the missiles struck near the town of Serghaya, west of Damascus. The Syrian army claimed Hezbollah targeted Syrian military positions and said it had observed Hezbollah reinforcing its presence along the Syria-Lebanon border.

SANA reported that the Syrian Arab Army warned it would not tolerate any attacks directed at Syria. The incident comes amid ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which intensified after Hezbollah attacked Israel last week in retaliation for a U.S.-Israeli strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Recent days have seen clashes in eastern Lebanon and Israeli strikes across the country, including in Beirut.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun accused Hezbollah of leading the country toward destruction, while a parliamentary leader stated that resistance was their only option, reflecting deep divisions within Lebanon over the conflict’s direction.

Debris from an Iranian missile has been discovered in the northeastern Syrian city of Qamishli, close to the Turkish border. Images circulating from the area show local residents gathering near the wreckage. The exact time when the missile fell in the area has not been confirmed.

According to Turkey, a missile heading toward its airspace was intercepted by NATO’s air defense system. The debris found in Qamishli is believed to be part of that downed missile. The incident adds to ongoing regional tensions involving Iran, Syria, and neighboring countries.

No official confirmation has yet been provided by Iranian or Syrian authorities regarding the missile’s origin or the interception details.

Syria has closed its border crossings with Lebanon after receiving a warning from Israel that Israeli forces might target the crossings. The decision was reported by Al Jazeera on Wednesday, citing the Syrian land and sea port authorities. The closure follows heightened regional tensions and security concerns along the Syrian-Lebanese frontier.

According to the report, the Syrian land and sea port authorities stated that the move came after Israel issued a warning about potential strikes on the crossings. A media officer at the Jdeidet Yabous border crossing said that while the crossings are closed, entry will remain open for Syrians fleeing from Lebanon.

The closure comes amid reports of displacement in Lebanon due to Israeli attacks, with more than 65,000 people reportedly affected. The situation underscores the growing instability in the region and the potential for further humanitarian challenges if border restrictions continue.