Thirteen people were killed during an Israeli military operation in southern Syria on Friday, prompting Damascus to condemn what it called a 'criminal attack' on its territory. The incident has escalated tensions in the region as conflicting narratives emerge from both sides.
Military Operation Turns Deadly
The Israeli military conducted a raid in the southern Syrian village of Beit Jinn on November 28, 2025, resulting in significant casualties. According to Israeli authorities, their forces were targeting suspects belonging to Jama'a Islamiya, a Lebanese Sunni Islamist group that Israel claims has been involved in terrorist activities.
Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated that during the operation, Israeli troops came under fire in Beit Jinn village. The confrontation left six Israeli soldiers wounded, with three of them sustaining critical injuries. The military described the operation as part of routine activities conducted in the area in recent months.
Conflicting Accounts Emerge
While Israel maintained it was targeting terrorist elements, Syrian authorities presented a dramatically different version of events. Syria's foreign ministry asserted that the Israeli attack killed more than 10 civilians, including women and children. The ministry also reported property damage and said the attack forced residents to flee their homes.
Local official Walid Akasha from Beit Jinn strongly denied the presence of any terrorist factions in the area. "We're a peaceful, civilian population, farmers. We have a legitimate right to defend ourselves. We didn't attack them first - they came onto our land," Akasha told Reuters by phone.
Historical Context and Regional Tensions
The Israeli military accused the targeted group of firing rockets at Israel from Lebanon during the Gaza war and involvement in what it called 'terrorist plots'. Israeli authorities also alleged the group was responsible for planting improvised explosive devices and planning future attacks on Israel, including rocket fire.
Akasha revealed that this wasn't the first such incident in the area, noting that seven people had been taken from the village during an earlier raid in June. He said the community had received no news about them since their arrest. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the June arrests.
This latest operation occurs against the backdrop of increased Israeli military presence in southern Syria. Israel has moved troops and military equipment past a 1974 buffer zone and into southern Syria, including the strategic overlook point of Mount Hermon.
The Israeli military stated that three suspects allegedly involved in terrorist plots were arrested during Friday's operation. Military spokesperson Adraee emphasized that Israel would not allow "terrorism and terrorist elements to entrench themselves on our borders."
The incident highlights the ongoing volatility in the region and the continuing tensions between Israel and Syria, with both sides presenting conflicting narratives about the nature of the operation and the status of those targeted.
