Israeli Raid in Southern Syria Kills 13, Sparks Clashes

A damaged site, following an Israeli raid on Friday, according to Syrian state media, in Beit Jinn, Syria November 28, 2025.

Thirteen people were killed in an Israeli raid in southern Syria on Friday, with Damascus denouncing the attack as a "criminal act" in a village where Israel said its troops came under fire during an operation targeting militants.

The Israeli military reported that six of its soldiers were wounded, three seriously, during the operation in Beit Jinn. The raid marks one of the deadliest Israeli actions in the region since the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad.

Israel said the raid aimed to detain members of Jama'a Islamiya, a Lebanese Sunni Islamist group accused of firing rockets at Israel during the Gaza war and plotting attacks. The military described the operation as part of routine security measures.

Syrian state media reported that Israeli forces shelled Beit Jinn at 3:40 a.m. local time before entering the village. Residents confronted the troops, prompting violent clashes. The Israeli military said its forces returned fire with aerial support, eliminating several attackers.

Israeli officials stated that three suspects were arrested for involvement in "terrorist plots," including planting explosives and planning future attacks on Israel.

Syria’s foreign ministry condemned the raid, claiming more than 10 civilians, including women and children, were killed, property was damaged, and residents were forced to flee. The ministry described the operation as a "full-fledged war crime" and warned it threatened regional security. Local Beit Jinn officials denied the presence of militants, calling the village peaceful and primarily agricultural.

The UN’s Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, Najat Rochdi, criticized the incursion as a “grave and unacceptable violation” of Syria’s sovereignty, further destabilizing an already fragile region.

Israeli and Syrian officials have met multiple times under US mediation to negotiate border security, but talks have been stalled since September. Israel has expressed concerns over Syria’s new government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa and has demanded a demilitarised southern region, while Sharaa maintains that Syria poses no threat to other states.