Two Israeli civilians were detained Monday after crossing the border into Syrian territory near Mount Hermon, the IDF said, as Syrian media separately reported that troops had arrested a Syrian citizen during an overnight raid in the Quneitra area.
According to the military, troops dispatched to the Hermon located the two, returned them to Israeli territory and transferred them to police.
The IDF condemned the crossing as a criminal offense that disrupted military operations and endangered troops, calling on law enforcement authorities to prevent those involved from repeatedly entering the area.
Israeli civilians attempting to establish settlements in Syria
The incident follows several attempts in recent weeks by Israeli activists seeking to establish civilian settlements in territory inside Syria. Around 100 activists were detained after crossing into the Syrian side of Mount Hermon earlier this month, with smaller groups making further attempts since then.
Separately, Syrian media reported Monday morning that IDF troops entered the village of Taranja in northern Quneitra and detained a Syrian resident after searching homes.
The developments come as Damascus says it is seeking a security agreement with Israel and as the Trump administration pressures Israel to redeploy from areas of southern Syria held since the fall of Bashar Assad’s government in December 2024.