At Least 10 Killed in Israeli Operation in Southern Syria

An Israeli raid in the Syrian village of Beit Jin left at least 10 people dead. Israel said it targeted members of Jamaa Islamiya planning attacks and reported six injured soldiers. Syria condemned the operation as a “war crime,” while local officials said Israel also shelled the area. The raid was described as Israel’s largest in Syria since Bashar Assad was ousted last year. Syria’s transitional president urged Israel to stop the incursion as both sides hold talks on reducing tensions.

An Israeli military operation carried out in the southern Syrian village of Beit Jin has resulted in the deaths of at least ten people, according to accounts from witnesses on the ground and reports published by Syrian media outlets on Friday. The incident has heightened tensions in a region already strained by years of conflict and political uncertainty.

According to information released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the operation targeted individuals believed to be members of Jamaa Islamiya, a Sunni Islamist political movement and anti-Zionist organization based in neighboring Lebanon. The group, which also operates an armed wing known as the al-Fajr Forces, was allegedly preparing attacks intended to be launched against Israel. Israeli authorities stated that the raid was aimed at preventing these planned assaults and neutralizing the threat posed by the suspects.

During the operation, six Israeli soldiers were reported injured. The IDF confirmed that three of the wounded soldiers remain in serious condition, highlighting the intensity of the clashes that took place during the early hours of the morning. Syrian state television later reported that residents of Beit Jin fled their homes as fighting escalated. Israeli forces were also said to have apprehended three men during the raid.

Abdul Rahman al-Hamrawi, a local Syrian official, spoke to the AFP news agency and recounted that following the initial confrontation, Israeli forces shelled the area with artillery and drones. His account suggests that the operation expanded beyond the initial ground engagement and contributed to further destruction in the area.

In response, the Syrian Foreign Ministry issued a strong condemnation, accusing Israel of carrying out what it described as criminal aggression intended to destabilize the region. The ministry went on to label the operation a war crime, reflecting Damascus’ longstanding position on Israeli military actions inside Syrian territory.

Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told the German news agency dpa that the raid marked Israel’s largest military operation in Syria since the downfall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad last year. Assad’s removal came after decades of his family’s rule, following a rebel uprising led by Ahmad al-Sharaa. Al-Sharaa has since taken office as Syria’s transitional president.

In the aftermath of the political changes in Syria last December, Israel announced that it had expanded its buffer zone along the shared border. According to Israeli officials, this expansion was intended to strengthen security measures and prevent potential threats from crossing into Israeli territory.

President al-Sharaa has publicly called on Israel to halt its military incursion into southern Syria. He has emphasized that the transitional government does not seek a direct confrontation with Israel and would prefer to concentrate on rebuilding the country after more than ten years of civil war. Despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties between Syria and Israel, both sides have recently engaged in discussions regarding a possible security arrangement aimed at lowering tensions and avoiding further escalation.