A tense calm returned to the village of Abidin in southern Syria’s Daraa countryside on Monday, June 29, 2026, following a significant military escalation that forced dozens of families to flee their homes. The withdrawal of Israeli forces overnight brought an end to a major incursion that saw artillery shelling, helicopter-borne machine-gun fire, and the establishment of temporary military checkpoints within Syrian territory. The operation, which began Sunday, saw Israeli armored vehicles advance from nearby positions into the village of Abidin. According to local reports, the incursion prompted residents to attempt to block the path of the advancing troops with stones and barricades. In response, Israeli forces reportedly fired live ammunition and established checkpoints, searching civilians, including children. While humanitarian organizations and the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported no fatalities from the latest engagement, the intensity of the bombardmentβ€”which targeted the village and surrounding agricultural landsβ€”triggered a mass exodus of residents toward neighboring communities. The Israeli military stated that its actions in the region are part of a broader security strategy to maintain a "security zone" established in late 2024, following the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime. Israel claims these operations are necessary to prevent hostile actors from exploiting the power vacuum in southern Syria. However, the Syrian government and several regional powers have decried the maneuvers as a blatant violation of sovereignty and the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. The incident has drawn sharp international criticism. On Monday, the foreign ministries of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey all issued statements condemning the incursions. They described the targeting of the Daraa and Quneitra governorates as a dangerous provocation that threatens regional stability and violates international law. Despite the fragile withdrawal of troops from Abidin, the situation remains volatile. Drone activity was reported over the area on Monday, and Syrian Civil Defence teams have begun working to assist displaced families as they tentatively return to their homes. Meanwhile, diplomatic sources indicate that prospects for a broader security agreement or normalization between Israel and the new Syrian authorities remain slim, with Israel signaling its intent to maintain a military presence in the buffer zone for the foreseeable future.