Residents of a southern Syrian village confronted Israeli Troops after military vehicles entered the area over the weekend, adding to growing tensions along the border where Israeli forces have maintained a presence since late 2024.
According to The Associated Press, the confrontation unfolded Sunday in the town of Abdin, near a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone that is now controlled by Israeli forces.
Residents blocked roads with rocks, while some young men and boys threw stones at the military patrol in an attempt to force it to leave.
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Local residents said Israeli Troops initially fired warning shots before artillery rounds landed in the village.
Israel took control of the U.N.-monitored buffer zone in southern Syria in December 2024 after the removal of former Syrian President Bashar Assad during an insurgent offensive.
Israeli officials initially described the deployment as temporary, saying it was necessary to protect the country's border from militant threats. More recently, senior Israeli officials have indicated they intend to maintain control of the area.
Israeli military operations in southern Syria are part of broader security measures adopted after the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
Israeli forces have also established security zones in parts of Gaza and Lebanon, arguing they are needed to prevent future attacks.
Syria's interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, has called on Israel to withdraw from the buffer zone, which the United Nations says covers about 235 square kilometers.
Syrian officials also condemned the Israeli operation and shelling in Abdin.
The incident followed another deadly encounter earlier Sunday. The Israeli military announced it had killed armed men in southern Syria but did not initially release additional details.
An Israeli military official later said two militants planning to attack Israeli Troops were killed.
Separately, the mayor of the Syrian village of Hadar said two unidentified men traveling in a pickup truck were killed in an explosion, and their bodies were later taken by Israeli forces.
Regarding the confrontation in Abdin, the Israeli official said armed militants fired on an Israeli military position, though no Israeli Troops were injured.
The exchange remains under scrutiny as tensions continue to build in the region.