Two Israelis caught by IDF after crossing Syria border, as Syria reports military raid in Quneitra

Two Israeli civilians were detained by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday after crossing into Syrian territory near Mount Hermon. The IDF stated that troops located the individuals, returned them to Israeli territory, and handed them over to police.

The incident occurred as Syrian media reported that Syrian troops had arrested a Syrian citizen during an overnight raid in the Quneitra area. The IDF condemned the crossing as a criminal offense that disrupted military operations and endangered troops, urging law enforcement to prevent repeat offenses.

This event follows a pattern of Israeli activists attempting to establish settlements in Syrian territory. Approximately 100 activists were detained earlier this month after crossing into the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, with smaller groups continuing such attempts. The detentions come at a time when Damascus is reportedly seeking a security agreement with Israel, and the Trump administration is pressuring Israel to redeploy from southern Syrian areas it has occupied since the fall of the Bashar Assad government in December 2024.