In a targeted overnight operation, Israeli troops engaged in a fierce firefight with terrorists in southern Syria, resulting in six Israel Defense Forces soldiers being wounded, three of them seriously.
Operation Details and Firefight
The raid, which took place in the Beit Jinn area on Friday, was aimed at apprehending operatives from the Jaama Islamiya terrorist organization. According to the IDF, the operation was launched based on intelligence gathered over several weeks, indicating the group was planning attacks against Israeli targets.
During the mission, soldiers from the 55th Reserve Brigade, operating under the command of the 210th Division, came under heavy gunfire from several armed terrorists. The troops returned fire and received aerial support during the confrontation.
"As a result of the incident, several reservists were injured and were evacuated to the hospital for medical treatment," the military stated. The operation concluded with all suspects apprehended and several terrorists eliminated.
Casualties and Regional Fallout
Of the six wounded IDF reservists, three sustained serious injuries, one was moderately wounded, and two others received light wounds. They were all transported to hospitals in Israel for treatment.
Syrian television reported that nine Syrians were killed in Israeli airstrikes that struck Beit Jinn during the operation. The broadcast described residents fleeing the area for nearby villages following the strikes and the intense firefight between Israeli forces and local gunmen.
Heightened Security Context
The clash occurs amid ongoing tensions in the region. Just days earlier, on Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the IDF-controlled security zone in southern Syria, emphasizing Israel's readiness to act.
"We attribute enormous importance to our defensive and offensive ability here; it’s a mission that could develop at any moment," Netanyahu stated during the visit, which included a high-level delegation with Defense Minister Israel Katz, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, and Shin Bet head David Zini.
Defense Minister Katz, addressing the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, warned that Israel is not moving toward peace with Syria. He highlighted threats from hostile forces, including the Iran-backed Houthis, who were reportedly planning a ground incursion into communities in the Golan Heights.
This incident follows the expansion of an Israeli security zone in southern Syria after the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, with the IDF maintaining a military presence amid continued clashes and airstrikes in the area.
