On March 17, 2025, fixed-wing Israeli occupation aircraft carried out two airstrikes, firing four missiles in total, on the western side of Daraa city. The attack targeted the 132nd Brigade, a military site located near a residential area, resulting in the deaths of four individuals—three civilians and one Syrian Ministry of Defense soldier—and injuring 18 others. Among the wounded were four children, a woman, and three Civil Defense personnel (White Helmets), who sustained varying degrees of injuries.
According to information obtained by the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) from reliable local sources, the Israeli occupation aircraft conducted its first strike, followed by a second strike approximately 20 minutes later. The second attack occurred while civilians and civil defense personnel were gathering at the site, leading to an increased number of casualties.
It is worth noting that SNHR documented several Israeli airstrikes on Daraa governorate on the same day, with investigations still ongoing. Our documentation teams are actively collecting further information on these incidents. The targeted area is under the control of the Syrian transitional government.
SNHR strongly condemns this airstrike, which resulted in civilian deaths and injuries. This attack constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law, which obligates all parties in a conflict to take necessary precautions to protect civilians, including issuing prior warnings when targeting areas near populated zones. Israeli occupation forces issued no such warning before the strike, contributing to the civilian casualties.
This attack is part of a systematic policy aimed at intimidating local populations and imposing a new security reality, contradicting international legal principles. It also represents a blatant violation of Syria’s sovereignty and breaches Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity of any member state. Additionally, Article 51 of the Charter permits the use of force only in cases of self-defense, a justification that was not substantiated in this attack.
SNHR emphasizes that the pretexts previously used by Israeli occupation forces to justify their attacks on Syrian territory are no longer valid, especially following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024. However, Israeli forces continue to use military force, causing civilian intimidation and destabilizing the region of southern Syria.
The continued attacks constitute a flagrant violation of the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the 1974 Disengagement Agreement between Syria and Israel, which obligates all parties to protect civilians and ensure their safety.
SNHR calls on the international community to take immediate action to halt these repeated violations, ensure respect for Syria’s sovereignty, and hold Israel accountable for its unlawful practices that threaten regional security and stability. Furthermore, SNHR urges the UN Security Council to take concrete steps to prevent impunity for those responsible for these attacks and to put an end to the use of military force against civilians.
