At least 13 people were killed in an Israeli raid on a village in southern Syria, according to Syrian state media, which condemned the operation as a “criminal attack.” Israel, however, says its forces came under fire while conducting an operation to apprehend “terrorists.”
The Israeli military claims six of its soldiers were wounded by “terrorist gunfire,” three of them critically.
The rising death toll in Beit Jinn reflects a broader surge in Israeli military activity inside Syria over the past year, following the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. Israel had frequently conducted airstrikes during Assad’s rule, but its cross-border operations have intensified since his removal.
According to Syria’s state news agency SANA, the incident began around 3:40 a.m., when Israeli forces fired shells at Beit Jinn before ground troops entered the village. Clashes broke out after residents attempted to resist, the report said.
The Israeli military stated that “armed terrorists” opened fire on its troops, prompting them to return fire with “aerial support.” Its statement claimed that “several terrorists were eliminated.”
Syria’s Foreign Ministry said women and children were among the dead and accused Israel of causing significant property damage and forcing residents to flee their homes. The ministry labelled the attack a “full-fledged war crime” and warned that such actions threaten regional security and stability.
Walid Akasha, a local official in Beit Jinn, rejected Israel’s claims of militant presence, telling reporters by phone:
“We are peaceful civilians, farmers. We have a legitimate right to defend ourselves. We did not attack first; they crossed into our territory and assaulted us.”
Sources: Reuters, BBC.