By Laith Al-jnaidi and Rania Abu Shamala
AMMAN, Jordan /ISTANBUL (AA) – Jordan condemned the Israeli shelling and incursion into the town of Koya in Daraa province in southern Syria on Tuesday.
In a statement, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry labelled the Israeli assault “a flagrant breach of international law, blatant violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and dangerous escalation that will only contribute to further conflict and tension in the region.”
It reaffirmed Jordan’s “absolute rejection and condemnation of Israel’s ongoing attacks on the Syrian territory, in clear violation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement between Israel and Syria.”
The ministry warned of “the risk of escalating tensions in the region,” reiterating Jordan’s “steadfast support for Syria, its security, stability, and sovereignty.”
At least five people were killed in Israeli shelling on Tuesday in western Daraa province in southern Syria, local authorities said.
In a statement, the Daraa governor’s office said several people were also injured, including a woman, when Israeli forces staged an incursion in Koya followed by artillery shelling.
The Israeli army acknowledged the attack, saying its forces returned fire after identifying gunmen who allegedly opened fire on Israeli forces.
Last week, Israeli warplanes carried out several airstrikes in Daraa, killing at least four people and injuring 19 others, including women and children.
After the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Israel expanded its occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights by seizing the demilitarized buffer zone, a move that violated the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria.
Israel also launched hundreds of airstrikes that targeted military sites and assets across Syria, including fighter jets, missile systems, and air defense installations, according to reports.
Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.
Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led anti-regime forces to oust Assad, was declared president for a transitional period in late January.