Israel warns residents of Quneitra countryside against using drones and announces closure of airspace

Israeli aircraft dropped warning leaflets over villages and towns in the countryside of Quneitra in southern Syria in the past hours, warning residents against flying any drones in the area, confirming that the airspace is "completely closed", and any unauthorized aircraft will be treated as a military target and immediately targeted.

The texts of the leaflets distributed by the aircraft and circulated by Syrian activists on social media stated:"Dear residents, due to the prevailing security conditions in recent days, the airspace is declared closed. Any use of drones, such as drones or similar, may be classified as a threat and met with an immediate response, posing a danger to the user and the surroundings".

This warning comes in the context of escalating Israeli concerns about the activities of Iran-affiliated groups in southern Syria, especially with increasing reports of these groups attempting to enhance their military or intelligence presence, whether through sleeper cells or technical activities including the use of drones, amid the ongoing escalation between Israel and Iran.

On the other hand, observers and local activists believe that these warnings may be used as a pretext for indiscriminate targeting under the guise of "confronting drones", especially with the difficulty of distinguishing between civilian uses, such as photography or recreational purposes, and military uses, in an area already suffering from a security vacuum and the actual absence of Syrian air control.