Israel carried out a deadly attack in southern Syria, killing 13 people and injuring 24 others. Officials said this strike was the biggest foreign assault on Syrian territory since former dictator Bashar al-Assad was removed from power last year.

Israeli forces entered Beit Jinn village on Friday. They aimed to capture two members of Jama’a Islamiya, a Lebanon-based terrorist group. Israel said the pair were planning attacks against its territory.

Clashes Trigger Heavy Fighting

The raid quickly turned violent. According to the Israeli military, clashes erupted inside the village. The fighting wounded six Israeli soldiers, including three in serious condition. Israeli forces captured the two suspects and then took them back to Israel.

Witnesses Describe the Night Assault

An AFP journalist saw several injured people being transferred to a hospital in Damascus, nearly 40 kilometres from Beit Jinn.

Wounded resident Iyad Taher described the chaotic moment. “We were asleep when we were woken up at three in the morning by gunfire,” he told AFP at al-Mouwassat hospital. He said he stepped outside, saw Israeli soldiers and tanks, and then watched them withdraw. “Then they withdrew, the air force came, and the shells started falling. I was hit by shrapnel in the neck.”

The Israel Defense Forces released bodycam video of the operation. The footage showed what the military called a “face-to-face” fight with the terrorists.

Thousands Flee as Bombardment Intensifies

Syrian authorities said the attack caused “large-scale displacement.” Many residents fled as Israeli airstrikes continued over the region.

Syria Condemns Strike as ‘Savage’

Syria’s Foreign Ministry sharply criticised Israel. It said Israel carried out a “savage and deliberate bombardment” that killed women and children. The ministry claimed that civilians tried to resist Israeli soldiers before the attack escalated.

Protesters in Damascus and other Syrian cities denounced the strike. They gathered to mark one year since the Islamist-led offensive that removed Assad. Their banners read “Beit Jin makes us proud” and “stop Israeli attacks”.

UN Says Strike Violated Syria’s Sovereignty

Najat Rochdi, the United Nations Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, condemned the Israeli operation. She called the strike “a grave and unacceptable violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.