In a recent development, Israeli forces have carried out a military operation within southern Syria, aiming to apprehend several individuals associated with the Palestinian group, Hamas. This information was confirmed by the military authorities on Thursday. Local news channel, Syria TV, relayed that approximately 100 Israeli soldiers swooped into the village of Beit Jin, situated close to the Lebanese border. Through loudspeakers, the troops called out names, subsequently detaining those individuals. The outlet also reported that one person succumbed to gunfire by the Israeli troops.
According to the Israeli military’s statement, the apprehended individuals were linked to Hamas and were allegedly involved in plotting attacks against Israel. These individuals have now been taken into Israeli custody for further questioning. During the operation, weapons were reportedly discovered at the site. However, the identities of those detained have not been disclosed as of yet.
The military intervention follows the collapse of President Bashar Assad’s leadership in early December, after which Israel has increased its presence in southern Syria. This has included executing numerous airstrikes across the country, significantly degrading the Syrian army’s capabilities.
There has been no independent corroboration of the claim that the individuals detained were affiliated with Hamas, and at this time, there has been no response from either Hamas or Syrian authorities regarding the incident.
In related events, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, during a diplomatic trip to France last month, mentioned that Syria is engaged in indirect negotiations with Israel. The aim of these discussions is to manage and prevent any escalation in hostilities between the two nations.