DAMASCUS, Syria: Syria’s interior ministry said an Israeli overnight incursion killed one civilian and abducted seven people on Thursday, with the Israeli army saying it seized members of Palestinian group Hamas.
The Israeli army said on X that its soldiers seized several suspected members of Hamas in a “targeted” operation in Beit Jinn, 12 kilometres (seven and a half miles) from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Since the overthrow of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad in December, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria aimed at military assets to the interim administration.
Israel has also deployed troops across the demilitarised zone on the Syrian side of the ceasefire line that used to separate the opposing forces on the Golan.
Syria’s interior ministry said in a statement that “these repeated provocations constitute a blatant violation of the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic… these practises cannot lead the region to stability and will only result in further tension and turmoil”.
The Israeli military said troops carried out a “targeted, intelligence-based night-time operation in Syria and apprehended several Hamas fighters”.
It alleged that those seized were plotting attacks on Israeli troops.
The Syrian interior ministry said that Israeli soldiers abducted seven people and fired directly at the villagers, killing one civilian.
The raid comes days after the Israeli army said it “struck a Hamas terrorist in the area of Mazraat Beit Jinn”, which neighbours Beit Jinn.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said one person was killed in the attack.
Since taking over in December, interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has said repeatedly that Syria does not want conflict with its neighbours, urging international pressure on Israel to halt its attacks. – Agencies
