Deadly Israeli Raid in Syria's Beit Jinn: Casualties Mount Amid Disputed Claims
A recent Israeli military operation in the Syrian town of Beit Jinn, located in the Damascus countryside, resulted in significant casualties, including the deaths of at least 13 individuals, two of whom were children. The incident, which occurred on a Friday, unfolded as local residents attempted to resist an Israeli ground incursion, leading to intense clashes.
The Raid and Its Immediate Aftermath
According to reports, the Israeli army's 55th Reserve Brigade launched an early morning raid into Beit Jinn with the stated goal of apprehending three Syrian residents alleged to be members of Jamaa al-Islamiya, Lebanon's branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Israel claimed these individuals posed a direct threat. However, the ground operation faced fierce local resistance, leaving six Israeli soldiers wounded, three critically. Following the failed ground incursion, Israeli warplanes were deployed, unleashing airstrikes on the area.
Eyewitness Iyad Daher, a wounded resident speaking from al-Mouwasat Hospital in Damascus, recounted being awakened by gunfire around 3 AM. "We went outside to see what was happening and saw the Israeli army in the village, soldiers and tanks," Daher stated. "Then they withdrew, the air force came – and the shells started falling." This particular incident marks the deadliest among Israel's more than 1,000 strikes on Syria since the collapse of the Assad regime.
Israel's Justification and Escalating Regional Actions
This raid is not an isolated event but part of a broader pattern of Israeli military actions in Syrian territory. Israeli officials and government-aligned media assert that following the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, Israel can no longer tolerate perceived threats along its borders. Consequently, Israel has increasingly used force in neighboring countries, including the Gaza Strip, Syria, and Lebanon, to establish what it describes as buffer zones for its security.
Since the fall of the Assad regime in December last year, Israel has intensified its air raids across Syria and conducted ground incursions in its southern regions. These operations have included setting up checkpoints, detaining Syrian citizens, and establishing outposts around Jabal al-Sheikh (Mount Hermon), effectively violating the 1974 disengagement agreement that had previously maintained a demilitarized zone. The new Syrian government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, has committed to upholding this 1974 agreement.
Syrian Condemnation and Disputed Claims
The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs swiftly condemned the attack, labeling it a "full-fledged war crime." Their statement denounced the "criminal attack carried out by an Israeli occupation army patrol in Beit Jinn" and the "brutal and deliberate shelling" that followed the failed incursion.
Israel's public broadcaster referred to the operation as an "arrest raid" targeting Jamaa al-Islamiya members, with an army spokesperson claiming three individuals linked to the group were arrested. Israel alleges the group is active in southern Syria, recruiting "terrorists" and playing a role on its "northern front" with Lebanon. However, Al Jazeera's Osama Bin Javaid reported from Syria that Israel has yet to provide any evidence to substantiate these claims.
Who is Jamaa al-Islamiya?
Jamaa al-Islamiya is the Lebanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in 1956. While having a stable presence in Lebanon, it has historically not achieved the widespread popularity of some regional counterparts. The group holds one parliamentary seat and was traditionally aligned with the Future Movement. In recent years, however, it has forged closer political ties with Iran and Hezbollah.
Its armed wing, the Fajr Forces, engaged in some operations against Israel in 2023-24. Following the Israeli claims regarding the Beit Jinn incident, Jamaa al-Islamiya released a statement expressing "surprise" at being implicated. They vehemently denied any activities outside Lebanon and stated their adherence to the November 2024 ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel. This isn't the first time Israel has made such claims; in March 2024, Israel attacked al-Habbariyeh in southern Lebanon, killing seven relief volunteers, claiming to target a "significant terrorist" from the group, though the alleged target was never named.