The United Arab Emirates (UAE) strongly condemned "Israel's" airstrikes on the suburbs of Damascus and called on the international community to put an end to repeated violations of Syrian sovereignty, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement issued Saturday.

According to Syria TV, Israeli warplanes struck the village of Beit Jinn, located approximately 50 kilometers from Damascus, on Friday night, leading to several civilian casualties. The attack came shortly after an incident described by Israeli media as an ambush in which local Syrian residents confronted a group of Israeli soldiers carrying out a raid against civilians.

In its official statement, the UAE denounced what it described as a "dangerous escalation" by "Israel". It reaffirmed its "categorical rejection of any infringement on Syria’s sovereignty and threats to its security and stability."

The ministry also stressed the need for urgent international action, urging states and organizations to "take immediate measures to halt repeated attacks on Syrian territory and prevent any escalation that could heighten regional tensions and jeopardize regional and international peace and security."

Details of the confrontations

On Friday, elite troops from the 55th Paratroopers Brigade of the 98th Elite Division raided the town of Beit Jinn, which is located just a few hundred meters from the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) Zone. During their attempt to detain some of the individuals, gunfire broke out from locals, forcing a withdrawal. 

An Israeli Humvee vehicle used in the incursion was subsequently left behind. Then, according to Israeli reports, the Israeli Air Force raided the area and bombed the abandoned vehicle. Among the three seriously injured troops were two officers of the 55th Brigade.

Israeli occupation forces said they detained three individuals during the raid, but the ensuing confrontations and Israeli strikes left at least 13 people dead and 25 others injured in the Syrian village. According to the Syrian News Channel, several others remain trapped beneath the rubble left by the bombardment.

Damascus warns of regional destabilization following Israeli raids

Since the regime change in Damascus in December 2024, the Israeli military has increased its raids across southern Syrian provinces, including Daraa and Quneitra. These incursions have included the establishment of checkpoints and the detention of residents, escalating tensions in already volatile border regions.

Damascus has repeatedly appealed to the international community to pressure "Israel" to cease its aggression, warning that ongoing violations pose a serious threat to the stability of the entire region.

Following the power shift, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in December that the 1974 Disengagement Agreement concerning the occupied Golan Heights was no longer valid, claiming that Syrian forces had abandoned their positions.