DAMASCUS, Syria – Israeli forces carried out a raid in the village of Beit Jin in southern Syria on Friday, reportedly resulting in the deaths of at least 10 individuals, as confirmed by Syrian media and officials. This incident unfolds amid Israel's complex military engagements and a fragile ceasefire in Gaza.
According to the Syrian state news agency SANA, Israeli troops entered Beit Jin with the intention of detaining local men. The situation escalated when residents protested, leading Israeli forces to open fire indiscriminately. As a consequence, numerous families fled the area seeking safety from the violence.
The Israeli military, however, justified the operation by claiming that it was aimed at apprehending suspects associated with Jamaa Islamiya, an Islamist group believed to be operating in Beit Jin and planning attacks on Israeli civilians. During the raid, Israeli forces faced gunfire from several militants, resulting in injuries to several soldiers, who were subsequently evacuated for medical treatment. The military reported that the operation concluded successfully with all suspects apprehended and multiple militants killed.
Since the fall of former President Bashar Assad in December 2024, Israeli authorities have viewed the evolving power structure in Syria with suspicion. Following Assad's ousting, Israeli forces have taken control of a buffer zone in southern Syria, an area previously monitored by the United Nations as per a 1974 disengagement agreement. Israel has conducted numerous airstrikes on Syrian military locations and has actively sought to establish a demilitarized zone near Damascus.
The relations between Israel and Syria remain tense, with the two countries lacking formal diplomatic ties. Despite this, there have been ongoing negotiations surrounding a potential security agreement aimed at reducing hostilities. While Syrian officials regularly denounce Israeli military actions as violations of national sovereignty, there was no immediate response to Friday’s raid from the Syrian government.
Local officials, including Walid Okasha from Beit Jin, expressed grave concerns over the casualties. Okasha noted that among the deceased were civilians, including one individual who celebrated his wedding just a day before the incident. He lamented the dire situation residents are facing in the wake of such violence.
This recent raid follows earlier Israeli operations in Beit Jin, including a June raid that led to the capture of several men labeled as Hamas members by Israeli forces—a characterization disputed by local residents. Previous actions in the area have raised questions regarding the designation and intent of those targeted by the Israeli military.
As tensions escalate, the interplay of armed conflicts in the region also raises alarms regarding the potential for further unrest, which could jeopardize the already precarious ceasefire in Gaza. This was underscored by a series of Israeli airstrikes earlier this week in southern Lebanon, aimed at preventing Hezbollah from reestablishing its military capabilities following a war that ended in a ceasefire last year. The United Nations reported on Tuesday that Israel's strikes in Lebanon have killed at least 127 civilians, including children, since the ceasefire. Tensions escalated further with an unconventional Israeli strike in Beirut, which resulted in the death of a senior Hezbollah official.
