Syrian media reported early Friday morning on intense clashes and exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and local residents near the town of Beit Jinn, in the Damascus countryside, near the Israeli border. According to Syria TV, around 3:40 a.m., an IDF patrol entered the town and was surrounded, prompting the outbreak of gunfire and confrontations. Simultaneously, artillery strikes were reported in the surrounding areas.
Clashes and shooting in the town of Beit Jinn in southern Syria
The channel later reported that Israeli helicopters carried out strikes in Beit Jinn, and that further clashes took place between local residents and the Israeli patrol. According to the report, two people were killed in the incident. The Israeli forces reportedly withdrew and repositioned at the Bat al-Warda hilltop area. Another Syrian channel reported that the town's residents surrounded the military force, which was trying to "kidnap a resident," according to the report.
The same report claimed that local residents actively participated in the exchange of fire with the Israeli force, which unfolded alongside artillery strikes and as combat helicopters circled overhead. Residents reportedly called for reinforcements from neighboring villages.
The outlet also reported two fatalities: Hassan Abd al-Razzaq al-Saadi and Mohammad Amin Daabous. Several others were said to be wounded, and fighter jets were also reported to have carried out airstrikes in the town.
Around 4:40 a.m., additional Israeli forces reportedly entered Syrian territory, accompanied by further strikes in the area.
In June, the IDF conducted a targeted operation in Beit Jinn, during which soldiers from the Alexandroni Brigade arrested Hamas operatives who had allegedly been planning attacks against Israel.
Since the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime in December 2024, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria, citing the need to prevent advanced weaponry from reaching hostile actors. Meanwhile, Israel and Syria have been engaged in talks aimed at reaching a security arrangement.
Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toured the buffer zone in Syria, accompanied by senior officials including Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir. The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned what it called an “illegal visit,” claiming it constituted a “dangerous violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a new attempt to impose a fait accompli.” The ministry reiterated Syria’s demand for a full Israeli withdrawal from Syrian territory.