ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The transitional government in Syria has submitted a complaint to the United Nations regarding the recent intensification of Israeli attacks on Syrian territories, calling on the international organization to compel Israel to stop its offensive and withdraw from areas it has entered.

In a letter dated December 9 and addressed to the UN Security Council and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Syria’s permanent representative to the UN Qusay al-Dahhak condemned the Israeli attacks, labeling them “a serious violation” of Syria’s sovereignty, the UN charter and security council resolutions, and the 1974 Disengagement Agreement between the two countries.

“Syria renews its call on the United Nations and the Security Council to assume their responsibilities and take firm and immediate measures to compel Israel to immediately stop its ongoing attacks on Syrian territory, ensure that they are not repeated,” read the letter.

Dahhak also urged the UN to pressure Israel to “immediately withdraw from the areas it has penetrated over the past few days, and to fully abide by the Disengagement Agreement and the UNDOF mandate,” referring to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force peacekeeping mission which is tasked with maintaining the ceasefire between the two countries.

On December 8, the same day as Syrian rebel forces announced overthrowing the Bashar al-Assad regime, Israel launched a fresh offensive in Syria, carrying out hundreds of airstrikes across various parts of the country and seized the UNDOF buffer zone in the Golan Heights.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the 1974 agreement has “collapsed” after the Syrian soldiers abandoned their positions, claiming that Israeli troops moved into the zone to prevent “hostile forces” from establishing themselves at the border.

Israel has continued its attacks on Syria since, and reportedly struck around 20 sites belonging to the former Syrian army in different parts of Syria on Friday evening, including Damascus, Suwayda, Latakia, and others.

Regional countries, including Iraq, Turkey, and Iran, have condemned the Israeli attacks and seizure of the UN-patrolled buffer zone, deeming it a violation of international law. The United States on the other hand has defended Israel’s actions.

“What Israel is doing [in Syria] is trying to identify potential threats both conventional and weapons of mass destruction that could threaten Israel and frankly threaten others as well” US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters in Israel on Thursday.

The UN special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen on Tuesday called on the Israeli government to end its military movements and bombardments inside Syria.