Israeli forces conducted a raid in a southern Syrian village, resulting in a confrontation with residents and the death of at least 13 individuals, according to Syrian officials. The incident occurred amid multiple ongoing conflicts involving Israel, including the fragile ceasefire in Gaza.
Syria’s Foreign Ministry denounced the attack as a “horrific massacre,” emphasizing that women and children were among the casualties. Reports from the Syrian state news agency, SANA, indicated that Israeli forces entered the village of Beit Jin with the intention of apprehending local men, but heavy gunfire erupted when residents resisted. Numerous families fled the area in response.
Israel stated that the operation aimed to capture suspects affiliated with the Jamaa Islamiya militant group in Beit Jin, who were allegedly planning attacks involving improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and rockets targeting Israel. Israeli forces encountered resistance from other militants, resulting in injuries to six troops. In response, Israeli forces engaged in a firefight, including utilizing air support. Although Israel claimed that all suspects were detained and several militants were killed during the operation, no evidence was provided to support these assertions.
A local official, Walid Okasha, asserted that the victims were civilians, including a man, his wife, his two children, his brother, and another man who had recently been married. Describing the situation as dire, Okasha lamented the tragic events.
Witness Firas Daher recounted that Israeli troops arrived in Beit Jin around 3 a.m. local time and faced minimal resistance with light weapons from residents. Israeli forces responded by deploying drones, helicopters, and heavy machine gun fire, targeting any movement within the village. Attempts to transport injured individuals to the hospital were reportedly met with attacks on the vehicles carrying them.
In the aftermath of a previous raid in June, where Israeli forces claimed to have captured individuals associated with Hamas, tensions have escalated. Israel’s continued presence in a portion of southern Syria, once a UN-patrolled buffer zone under a disengagement agreement, has led to frequent military operations and clashes with local populations.
Syrian officials have condemned Israel’s actions as a violation of their country’s sovereignty, calling for urgent international intervention to halt further incursions. The ongoing conflicts in the region, including recent strikes in southern Lebanon by Israel’s air force targeting Hezbollah, have raised concerns about potential spillover effects and the impact on regional stability.