At least 13 individuals have lost their lives following an Israeli raid on a village in southern Syria during the night, as reported by state media. This incident marks one of the most lethal operations of its kind in recent months, with reports indicating that some of the deceased were children.
The Sana news agency stated that locals from Beit Jinn attempted to “confront” Israeli forces, which resulted in an exchange of gunfire. Additionally, air strikes were reportedly executed during the raid. Syria’s foreign ministry denounced the operation, labeling it a “war crime” perpetrated by Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) explained that their troops entered the village, located near the occupied Golan Heights, to detain militants accused of planning “advanced terror attacks against Israeli civilians.” Six soldiers from Israel were injured during the conflict, with three sustaining serious injuries.
The IDF asserted that the Jamaa Islamiya militant organization was the target of Friday’s operation. According to their statement, the raid encountered resistance when “multiple armed terrorists opened fire” upon their soldiers, who then returned fire.
Sana reported that the village also endured shelling, and footage released by the IDF displayed two air strikes—one seemingly targeting a group of individuals, while the other hit a building. Bodycam video provided by the IDF depicted soldiers firing in a dimly lit street, accompanied by the sound of distant automatic gunfire.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a monitoring organization based in the UK, noted that a structure collapsed amidst the operation. Following the raid, the IDF indicated that they had apprehended all suspects and eliminated several terrorists.
Sana revealed that three individuals were arrested by the troops prior to their withdrawal. A local hospital’s director stated that it received multiple bodies, including five from the same family, while dozens of others suffered injuries in this incident.
The Syrian foreign ministry condemned the assault, stating that more than ten civilians perished, among them women and children. They accused Israel of committing a “comprehensive war crime” and urged the UN Security Council to intervene in order to halt Israel’s “aggressive actions.”
Israel frequently conducts incursions into Syrian villages, asserting their actions are aimed at preventing the presence of militant groups. In the wake of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s fall nearly a year ago, Israel has repositioned its forces across a buffer zone on the Golan Heights into southern Syria, where various anti-Israel factions operate.
Israel maintains that it will not permit the Syrian army, which it views as a threat, to establish a presence there. The buffer zone, a demilitarized area, was originally designated to uphold peace following a ceasefire that ended the 1973 war between Israel and Syria. The UN has expressed that the IDF’s presence in this area constitutes a “violation” of the agreed terms that both parties are expected to adhere to.
The US has been facilitating discussions between Israel and Syria for several months regarding a security arrangement in the territory separating the two nations, though these talks have not achieved any success.
Comments