Israel shells Syria's Quneitra while Qatar and Jordan condemn its excavation near occupied Golan

What Happened

Israeli forces shelled farmland between Buraiqa and Kodana in southern Quneitra, Syria's Al-Ikhbariah TV reported on Sunday. Separately, Syria, Qatar and Jordan denounced Israel's resumed construction on the "Sofa 53" project — also called the "Great Storm" — a military road that Israel began building in 2022 within the buffer zone established under the 1974 disengagement agreement. The road stretches from northern Quneitra down towards the meeting point of the Syrian, Jordanian and Israeli borders. Syria's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that Israel's resumption of excavation work near the separation line with the occupied Syrian Golan Heights was a "flagrant breach" of the 1974 deal.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The reported shelling and construction work occur along the Israel-Syria disengagement line in Quneitra, inside a buffer zone whose status is governed by the 1974 agreement. The simultaneous condemnations from Syria, Qatar and Jordan — and the characterization of the Sofa 53 project as a violation of international law — risk widening regional diplomatic friction linked to the occupied Golan and Israel's military activity near Syria's borders.

Watch For

Monitor whether Israel confirms or denies the Quneitra shelling and the Sofa 53 excavation, whether Syrian state media or local sources report further fire or construction activity near Buraiqa and Kodana, and whether Qatar or Jordan pursue the matter through the UN or Arab League.