Rare footage has emerged of the face-to-face encounter inside Syria in which six Israeli officers and soldiers were wounded, three of them seriously, during the unusual incident in Beit Jinn that followed the arrest of suspects from the Al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya organization.
In body-camera footage released by the IDF, troops are seen making the arrests and the moment gunfire erupted at the 55th Reserve Brigade fighters. “Terrorist! He’s sticking his head out, on the left, near the tunnel. The house with the light on the left,” soldiers shout, while another warns of friendly fire: “Watch for blue-on-blue!” The dramatic footage appears above.
Dramatic documentation: the moment of the encounter, from the fighters' body cameras
(Video: IDF Spokesperson)
Following the incident — the first time since the fall of the Assad regime a year ago that Israeli soldiers were wounded by gunfire in Syria — Israel conveyed stern messages to the Syrian regime and began preparing a range of responses. Security officials said they currently see no indication that forces loyal to President Ahmad al-Sharaa were involved. Syria says at least 13 people were killed and others remain trapped under the rubble.
Security officials said the incident underscores the danger of allowing hostile actors to entrench themselves near Israel, and that an agreement with Syria is not possible now because the country is unstable. “More than anything, it shows why we cannot withdraw from the areas we have taken, especially the Hermon,” they said.
The destruction after the incident at Jen's house
On fire: The Hummer that was bombed by the IDF
Syria’s Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, condemned Israel and denounced what it called “the criminal attack carried out by an Israeli occupation patrol, the invasion of the lands of Beit Jinn and the assault on residents and their property, which led to direct clashes.” It labeled the incident a “war crime” and claimed more than ten civilians were killed in what it called a “massacre.” The ministry urged the UN Security Council, the United Nations and the Arab League to halt “Israel’s attacks.”
The six Israeli troops were wounded — three seriously — during an operation by the IDF’s “Spearhead” Reserve Brigade (55th Brigade) overnight. According to the military, the force moved in after weeks of intelligence gathering to arrest suspects from the Al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya organization operating in Beit Jinn, about 11 kilometers from the Israeli border.
Soldiers arrested three suspects in their beds. One had previously fired a rocket and planted explosives. As the force departed the Syrian town, gunmen opened fire on their Humvee. The vehicle became stuck, prompting an Israeli airstrike on it afterward. Air support targeted additional threats, and Syrian footage showed the resulting damage.
Al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya is a Lebanese-Sunni movement affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. Its military wing was formed in the 1980s and has long worked with terrorist groups against Israel. The group cooperates with Hamas in Lebanon and Syria and with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Assessment of the situation on the ground after the encounter
(Video: IDF Spokesperson)
Air Force strikes after the clash in southern Syria
(Video: IDF Spokesperson)
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Ahmad al-Sharaa 'in an IDF uniform', adapted from an image published in Sabereen News
It operates military sites in southern Lebanon, maintains terrorist infrastructure along the Syria-Lebanon border and in the Beit Jinn area, recruits fighters and plays a notable role in the northern arena. During the war, Israel struck its operatives and facilities in both Syria and Lebanon.
Following the incident, Northern Division 210 commander Brig. Gen. Yair Palai held a situation assessment with Col. D., commander of the 55th Brigade. After fighting in Gaza and Lebanon over the past two years, the brigade began operating in southern Syria in September, conducting proactive missions, arrests, searches and weapons seizures.
On the pro-Iranian “Sabereen” network, which opposes al-Sharaa, users posted an edited image showing the Syrian leader in IDF uniform, asking: “Will al-Jolani and his gangs dance on the bodies of Beit Jinn’s dead on the anniversary of Syria’s fall to terrorist gangs, or will he declare jihad against the Alawites?”
Before the incident, al-Sharaa delivered a speech marking one year since the fall of the Assad regime. “I call on all segments of the Syrian people to take to the streets and squares to express their joy over this great battle and to demonstrate national unity, cohesion and the unity of Syrian land,” he said. “Long live free and proud Syria, from north to south and west to east.”
First published: 14:01, 11.28.25