Israeli forces infiltrate Syria's Beit Jann, arrest and kill civilians
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The Israeli aggression on Syrian territory continues, carrying out today the deepest incursion to date into Syria’s southwestern Damascus countryside.
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A general view of the fence on the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from Syria, on December 8, 2024 (AP)
The Israeli Army Radio announced that forces from the Alexandroni Brigade infiltrated the Syrian village of Beit Jann, located approximately 10 kilometers from the occupied border, in a nighttime raid that led to the arrest of several Syrians on allegations of "involvement in terrorism."
Local sources confirmed to Al Mayadeen that this operation represents the deepest incursion by occupation forces into the southwestern Damascus countryside in recent years and the first known deployment of Israeli troops into Beit Jann’s neighborhoods.
Tensions surged in the area following the killing of a local resident by Israeli fire on Thursday morning amid calls for a mass demonstration in Beit Jann during the funeral procession, as residents protest the killings and incursions.
Sources reported that one of the targeted individuals was shot and killed during a confrontation at a local gathering, reportedly after resisting arrest. The Israeli army had reportedly broadcast the names of ten wanted individuals over loudspeakers before detaining seven and killing one.
Reinforcements deployed from Quneitra to Damascus countryside
The Israeli occupation has mobilized reinforcements from military positions on Qars al-Nafil hill, north of Hadar in the Quneitra countryside, and from the Hamra Hills, which separate Beit Jann from Hadar.
These movements suggest a broader military campaign may be unfolding, one that extends beyond a limited cross-border raid.
According to local sources, this marks the deepest Israeli ground raid into southwestern Damascus since the collapse of former Syrian armed opposition control in the area. Military analysts believe it could signal a significant shift in "Israel's" operational posture along the Syrian front.
The sources added that the occupation forces had pre-identified a group of young men allegedly affiliated with Palestinian Resistance cells active in the region.
The source told Al Mayadeen, "The occupation is searching for cells loyal to the Palestinian resistance in the aforementioned area and is planning to launch further campaigns in the coming days."
This latest incursion follows recent activity in the southern Quneitra countryside, where Israeli forces had advanced into the town of al-Rafid. Additionally, the Israeli military confirmed it had bombed Beit Jann using a drone, further escalating the situation in southern Syria.
Suspected US helicopter raid targets mosque in Syria
On Wednesday, local sources in Syria reported that helicopters, believed to be American, carried out a dawn airdrop operation in the Jab al-Bishri area of western Deir Ezzor’s desert region.
According to the sources, US troops inspected al-Shujairi mosque before demolishing it, along with several surrounding locations.
The United States has claimed that it will significantly reduce its military presence in Syria, scaling back from eight bases to a single site in al-Hasakah province, according to US Special Envoy Thomas Barrack. Speaking to Turkish broadcaster NTV on Monday, Barrack described the move as part of a broader Syria policy shift.
“Our current Syria policy will not be close to the Syria policy of the last 100 years, because none of these have worked,” he said.
In a separate development, Syria TV reported that Israeli occupation forces infiltrated the village of al-Qahtaniyah in the countryside of Quneitra province. The troops reportedly deployed between residential homes and along local streets while firing shots into the air.
Using loudspeakers, the occupation forces ordered residents to remain indoors and not leave their homes, the report added.
