13 Killed in Israeli Raid on Beit Jinn, Southern Syria
Israel says it entered Beit Jinn near the Golan Heights to detain militants; Syria condemns the strike as a war crime as civilians and Israeli soldiers are killed or wounded.
Overnight, Israeli forces conducted a raid in Beit Jinn, a village near the Golan Heights in southern Syria. The operation, which involved air strikes and a firefight, left at least 13 people dead, including children, according to Syrian state media.
Beit Jinn sits near the border and has long been a hotspot for cross-border clashes. Syria’s government described the strike as a war crime and urged international action.
What the parties say
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its troops entered Beit Jinn to detain militants believed to be planning attacks against Israeli civilians. It named the Jamaa Islamiya group as the target. Six Israeli soldiers were wounded, three seriously, in the fighting.
The IDF released footage showing two air strikes, including one on a group of people and another on a building. A bodycam clip shows soldiers firing on a street at night as distant gunfire can be heard.
Casualties and aftermath
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, reported that a building collapsed during the operation. Later, Sana, Syria’s state news agency, said three suspects were arrested as troops withdrew.
Local hospitals received bodies, including members of at least one family, and officials said dozens were injured. Syria’s foreign ministry condemned the raid and called on the United Nations Security Council to intervene and stop what it called aggression.
Context and wider situation
Israel frequently conducts cross-border incursions into villages near the Golan Heights, saying it acts to counter armed groups. Since last year, Israeli forces have pushed into southern Syria, where various anti-Israel factions operate. The United Nations has described the border area as a demilitarized zone from a 1973 ceasefire, and says the IDF’s presence breaches the agreement. The United States has been mediating talks on a security framework for the area, but progress has been limited.
Expert commentary
Expert comment: Analysts say such cross-border operations raise civilian risk and complicate regional diplomacy. They urge restraint, accountability, and renewed efforts to reduce escalation along the Syria-Israel frontier.
Quick takeaway
Summary: The Beit Jinn raid highlights the fragile security balance on the Syria-Israel border and the ongoing humanitarian toll of cross-border clashes. With international mediators pushing for a security arrangement, progress remains slow amid competing narratives from involved parties.
Key insight: Cross-border military actions near Beit Jinn continue to cause civilian harm and strain regional diplomacy, underscoring the fragile security dynamic on the Syria-Israel border. BBC News.