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Deadly Israeli raid on southern Syrian village kills at least 13
At least 13 people, including children, were killed in an overnight Israeli military operation in the southern Syrian village of Beit Jinn, state media reported Friday. The raid-among the deadliest in months-sparked clashes between residents and Israeli troops, with air strikes and ground firefights leaving six Israeli soldiers wounded, three seriously.
Clashes erupt as troops target militants
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated the operation aimed to detain members of the Jamaa Islamiya militant group, whom it accused of planning "advanced terror attacks against Israeli civilians." According to the IDF, soldiers encountered armed resistance upon entering the village, located near the occupied Golan Heights, prompting an exchange of gunfire.
Syria's state news agency SANA reported that villagers "confronted" Israeli forces, leading to a prolonged firefight. The IDF confirmed air strikes were conducted, with released footage showing attacks on a group of individuals and a building. Bodycam recordings depicted soldiers firing in darkened streets amid automatic gunfire.
Civilian toll and Syrian condemnation
SANA cited a local hospital director as saying the facility received bodies from a single family, including five victims, alongside dozens of injured. Syria's foreign ministry condemned the raid as a "fully-fledged war crime," urging the UN Security Council to intervene against Israel's "policy of aggression." The ministry claimed over 10 civilians, including women and children, were killed.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitor, reported a building collapse during the operation. The IDF later stated all targeted suspects were apprehended and "a number of terrorists were eliminated," while SANA said three villagers were arrested before troops withdrew.
Broader context: Golan Heights tensions
Israel frequently conducts incursions into southern Syria, asserting they prevent armed groups from operating near its borders. Since Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government lost control of parts of the region nearly a year ago, Israel has expanded its military presence into a buffer zone on the Golan Heights-a demilitarized area established after the 1973 war.
The UN has criticized Israel's deployment in the zone as a violation of ceasefire agreements, calling on both sides to uphold the terms. Meanwhile, U.S.-mediated talks between Israel and Syria over a regional security pact have stalled without progress.
"Supplies have stabilized, but conservation remains essential."
Israeli military statement on operation objectives
