While the pause in direct hostilities between Israel and Iran has provided a measure of respite and temporarily eased tensions across the south-west, the economic fallout from soaring fuel prices and worsening living conditions continues to threaten rising public anger and instability. At the same time, the fragility of the ceasefire leaves the region highly vulnerable to renewed escalation, with any deterioration likely to spill back into Syrian territory and undermine the relative calm that has prevailed over the past month. These broader geopolitical dynamics are unfolding against the backdrop of an Israeli military presence that appears to be increasingly entrenched.
Israeli Actions
Israel’s actions in southern Syria, ongoing since December 2024, continue to destabilize the country and violate its territorial sovereignty. On the ground, daily Israeli operations in south Syria continued apace across April, despite the charged environment resulting from the conflict with Iran. Israeli artillery positions stationed at Tal Ahmar al-Gharbi shelled the outskirts of Kudnah, while additional artillery fire struck Jamleh, Ruhaynah and the Um al-Azzam Dam, with no casualties reported. Israeli forces also continued to block farmers from Abidin, Jamleh, Koyah and Ma’ariyeh from accessing agricultural land west of their towns throughout the month of April, maintaining a sustained de facto exclusion zone across key farming areas. Israeli troops also fired toward farmers near Koyah and Ma’ariyeh during attempts to access agricultural land, with no casualties reported. At the same time, around 1,400 residents of Beit Jinn have been displaced for months due to continued fears of renewed incursions and persistent drone surveillance.
The first half of April saw continuation of the US-Israeli war with Iran spill over into Syrian territory, with Israeli helicopters repeatedly intercepted Iranian drones over Daraa and Quneitra. Drones were intercepted on a near-daily basis and several civilians from Daraa and Quneitra were reported killed by the steady downing of drones and crashing debris over populated areas.
In a striking new pattern of activity, Israeli settlers have become a growing fixture of the conflict and occupation of south Syria. Settlers were accused of confiscating livestock belonging to residents of Jamleh amid ongoing restrictions on agricultural access west of the town, while several weeks later, approximately 60 Israeli settlers reportedly linked to the Halutzei HaBashan (Pioneers of Bashan) movement entered the area west of Hader and remained for nearly two hours before being removed by the Israeli army. The movement, established in 2025, aims to establish permanent Israeli settlements in south Syria.
The growing boldness and push of Israeli settlers into south Syria highlights growing calls for permanent annexation of Syrian territory within some Israeli political spheres. In late April, the Israeli government approved a multi-million dollar, five-year plan to transfer Israeli civilians into the occupied Golan Heights.
Instability in South Syria
Kidnapping and extortion networks remained active across southern Syria, particularly in areas linked to organized crime networks in western Daraa. Public unrest related to detainee cases also continued, with more than 100 relatives of detainees from Quneitra and western Daraa demonstrating outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Damascus to demand the release of individuals reportedly held by Israeli forces, who are estimated to number more than 30 detainees at present.
Targeted killings were recorded in Inkhil, Izra’a, Khan Arnabeh and Khirbet Ghazaleh throughout April, with at least four individuals killed in these incidents. These incidents were accompanied by numerous attempted assassinations targeting civilians, former opposition members and local affiliates, the majority of which resulted in limited injuries, underscoring the continued prevalence of daily violence across the region—albeit at levels far lower than in past years.
