The Israeli military carried out a new raid in the countryside of southern Syria's Daraa Monday, local media reported, a day after Damascus and Tel Aviv held a de-escalation meeting.
"Israeli occupation forces advanced with several military vehicles into the village of Maariya in the western Daraa countryside," Syrian Alikhbariah TV reported.
On Sunday, Israeli forces raided the town of al-Rafid in Quneitra province and arrested a shepherd, according to the channel.
Areas in southern Syria have witnessed near-daily Israeli incursions and attacks, particularly in Quneitra and Daraa provinces, including raids, searches, arrests and the establishment of military checkpoints.
The latest attacks come despite Syrian and Israeli officials met in Jordan for high-level U.S.-mediated talks in Jordan Sunday.
The meeting was aimed at easing tensions following recent Israeli strikes on Syrian territory, Syria's state news agency SANA reported, citing a diplomatic source at the Foreign Ministry.
The talks focused on practical mechanisms to halt Israeli strikes, arrests and targeted operations and on reviving negotiations toward a security agreement that could lay the groundwork for a broader future accord, SANA said.
"The meeting came as part of efforts aimed at reducing escalation following the latest Israeli shelling of Syrian territory and rising tensions in southern Syria," one diplomatic source said.
US-mediated talks
The two sides also discussed efforts to ease tensions between Israel and Türkiye.
Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani told Reuters Saturday that Damascus expected security negotiations with Israel to resume soon, although he added that there was a lack of trust between them.
Talks had been suspended since the start of the Iran war, while Syria cut off contact entirely after Israeli strikes on Syria’s Abu al-Duhur air base last week, according to al-Shaibani.
Washington has for more than a year sought to broker a security agreement between Israel and the government of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Al-Shaibani said the two sides had agreed on paper to "almost everything” around the beginning of the year, including arrangements for security zones in southern Syria and a buffer zone where only United Nations forces would be present, but Damascus doubted Israel's willingness to implement the agreement.
The Israeli prime minister's office did not reply to a request for comment on al-Shaibani's remarks.
At Sunday’s meeting, SANA said, Syria indicated that its immediate priorities remained an Israeli withdrawal to positions held before Bashar Assad's overthrow on Dec. 8, 2024 and the full restoration of a 1974 disengagement agreement.
Damascus also told the Israeli delegation it would not accept arrangements restricting its right to rebuild and develop its armed forces or determine its alliances and partnerships, SANA said.
Syria reiterated that the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights were Syrian territory but said discussions over the region's final status were premature, according to the SANA report.
Israel has carried out repeated strikes on Syrian military sites since Assad's fall, claiming its actions were necessary to protect its security. Syria has denied posing a threat to Israel and has demanded an end to Israeli strikes and incursions.
Syria and Israel have technically been at war since 1948. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, a move recognized by the United States but not by most of the international community.