Syria Labels Deadly Israeli Raid in Beit Jinn a “War Crime” After 13 Killed

Syria’s government has condemned an overnight strike and ground incursion by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) into the southern village of Beit Jinn, declaring it a “full-fledged war crime” after at least 13 people, including civilians, died and dozens more were wounded.

According to Syrian state media, the attack began at about 3:40 a.m. local time, with shelling preceding an Israeli troop incursion into the village.

Shells, drone strikes, and aerial fire reportedly followed clashes with civilians’ destruction that left homes damaged and prompted many residents to flee.

The casualty list includes women and children, with state-run media and the health ministry emphasizing the toll on non-combatants.

Syrian officials assert there was no militant presence in Beit Jinn, with local residents describing themselves as peaceful farmers who were asleep when the assault began.

The Israeli military defended the operation, saying it targeted members of the Islamist group Jamaa Islamiya, whom it accuses of planning attacks on Israeli civilians.

According to the IDF, its troops came under fire and responded with ground and aerial support, arresting suspected militants and wounding several Israeli soldiers.

International reaction has been swift: the U.N.’s deputy envoy for Syria condemned the raid as a “grave and unacceptable violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Syria’s foreign ministry warned that the strike threatens regional security and stability, arguing that continued assaults risk igniting wider conflict across the region.

This incident marks the deadliest Israeli operation in southern Syria since the fall of the previous regime nearly a year ago, and signals a significant escalation in cross-border violence, further undermining fragile ceasefire and diplomacy efforts.

Sources-Reuters, AP News