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This is not the first time Israel has attacked villages on the occupied border. It has previously infiltrated villages in the Jabal al-Sheikh area of Qatana, in the Damascus countryside, on several occasions since seizing the Syrian observation post atop the strategic Jabal al-Sheikh hill, which overlooks vast areas of Damascus, its surrounding countryside, and Quneitra, as well as parts of Lebanese territory.
This latest military incursion is radically different, however, due to popular resistance against the occupation following repeated attacks on Syrian civilians in Beit Jinn. These attacks have gone unpunished despite the deaths of several people and the arrest of others who were taken to the occupied territories, with no information about their fate to date.
What happened?
Sources from Syria TV confirm that an Israeli occupation patrol entered the town of Beit Jinn between 3:00 and 4:00 AM to arrest several young men. However, a number of Beit Jinn youths confronted the patrol, leading to an armed clash. Calls have been made for popular support to repel the patrol, surround it, and prevent its withdrawal.
The Israeli army mobilized additional forces and launched a series of attacks using drones, missiles, and artillery shells. Despite this, a number of Israeli soldiers were killed and wounded in what is considered the most significant escalation since the fall of the former regime on December 8, 2014, and all the incursions and violations carried out by the occupation forces along the border.
Sources in the city of Qatana revealed to Syria TV that the sounds of shelling were heard in the early morning hours in areas approximately 20 kilometers from Beit Jinn, confirming its intensity and force.
The shelling resulted in the deaths of 13 people, mostly children and women, including young men from the town who confronted the occupation forces. An Israeli patrol also left behind a military vehicle that was subsequently shelled.
Among the martyrs killed in the Israeli shelling were: Abdullah Kasahout, Ismail Kasahout, Qasim Hamada, Abdo Hamada, Muhammad Hamada, Basil Kamal, Hassan Abdul-Razzaq al-Saadi, Muhammad Daabous, Hiba Khalil Abu Daher, Muhammad Akasha, and Hussam al-Samman. A correspondent for Syria TV in the area reported that dozens of families fled the town to neighboring villages, fearing a repeat of the shelling of Beit Jinn. Meanwhile, residents mourned their dead and transported the wounded to the nearest available hospitals.
Residents of Beit Jinn confirmed to Syria TV that there are no non-Syrian fighters in the entire area and that they do not wish to fight the occupation. They emphasized that they did not go to the occupation; rather, it came to them and threatened their security and stability, which is why the confrontation occurred. "It is inconceivable that the occupation can storm our villages and towns, arrest our youth, and expect us to remain silent," they said.
For his part, the mayor of Beit Jinn, Abdul Rahman al-Hamrawi, told AFP that the Israeli occupation army entered Beit Jinn to arrest three young men from the town, leading to clashes with residents who tried to resist the incursion.
Following this, the Israeli occupation forces shelled the village with drones and artillery, according to the mayor.
Israeli shelling of Beit Jinn
What does the occupation say?
Returning to the Israeli narrative, its claims center on an operation targeting "wanted individuals" suspected of planning attacks within the occupied territories, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.
The Hebrew newspaper reported that the Israeli army carried out an arrest operation targeting young Syrian men suspected of belonging to the "Lebanese Islamic Group."
The Islamic Group is known to be an organization active in Lebanon, and Israel has previously targeted several of its leaders during its last war against Lebanon.
The Israeli army announced that six Israeli soldiers were wounded, with injuries ranging from serious to moderate to minor, and were transferred to a hospital for treatment. It did not mention any fatalities, asserting that the operation had ended, all suspects had been arrested, and some had been killed, according to its statement.
The Israeli army further stated that "militants attacked an Israeli army Hummer, injuring the soldiers inside. The vehicle was disabled, abandoned, and subsequently shelled."
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that the Israeli army withdrew to the outskirts of Beit Jann after two hours of clashes, and the wounded were airlifted by helicopter to Israeli hospitals.
The newspaper quoted security officials as saying they currently see no indication of any response from the government forces loyal to President Ahmed al-Sharaa. They emphasized that "this incident highlights the extent of the danger posed by allowing hostile elements to establish a presence near Israel, and that an agreement with Syria is currently impossible because the country is unstable."
They added, according to the newspaper, "This most clearly demonstrates why we cannot withdraw from the areas we have captured, especially the Mount Hermon area."
Israeli media claimed that the arrests were based on "intelligence information" received in recent weeks, and that the operation was a "preemptive action" to thwart a potential threat.
Israeli occupation forces on the Syrian border: How did the Syrian government respond?
For its part, the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned "the criminal Israeli aggression in the town of Beit Jinn, which led to clashes as a result of the residents' resistance."
It indicated that the occupation forces, due to their failure to advance, resorted to targeting the town of Beit Jinn with a brutal bombardment that resulted in a horrific massacre in which children and women were killed.
The ministry held the Israeli occupation responsible for the serious aggression, stressing that the continued attacks threaten the region's security.
The Syrian government had previously called on the international community to intervene to stop the ongoing Israeli violations that have persisted since the fall of the Assad regime nearly a year ago.
The new Syrian government maintains a consistent strategy of avoiding any clashes with the occupation forces, despite their ongoing incursions into border areas. This strategy aims to prevent providing pretexts for a massive military escalation that could end Syria's nascent experiment, especially given the numerous security and economic challenges the government faces. The country is attempting to recover after 14 years of war waged by the regime with direct military support from Russia and Iran, in addition to the presence of other foreign forces in northern and northeastern Syria.
It is unlikely that any security agreement will be reached soon between Syria and the Israeli occupation based on the 1974 ceasefire agreement along the border, particularly since the occupation forces have violated it dozens of times since the regime's fall, and negotiations have yet to yield any publicly announced results.
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Why is Israel doing this?
In reality, Israel has different strategies in Syria. It employs different methods in dealing with the border villages, carrying out incursions into Quneitra almost daily. These incursions involve uprooting trees, bulldozing homes, and harassing residents about their livelihoods and daily lives, while the residents reject and burn aid.
Sources in the Quneitra countryside told Syria TV that the Israeli occupation forces are conducting daily incursions into the villages and towns of Jabata al-Khashab, al-Ajraf, Ufania, Ain al-Bayda, al-Hurriya, al-Rafid, al-Hamidiya, Jurat al-Sheikh, Saida al-Hanout, al-Samdaniya, Rasm al-Qata, and others.
The sources added that these incursions include establishing military checkpoints, harassing residents, preventing them from moving freely, and arresting some civilians. Some are released, while others remain detained in unknown locations.
The same applies to the villages of Daraa bordering the occupied territories, where occupation forces have infiltrated the villages of Maariya, Abdeen, Jumla, Maaraba, Sisoun, Al-Masritiya, and Kuya in the Yarmouk Basin, as well as other villages in the Al-Bakr area, the vicinity of Sidon, and villages between Quneitra and Daraa, such as Sidon al-Jawlan and Al-Muqraz.
The incursions included the seizure of some villages, the establishment of checkpoints and roadblocks, the storming of homes, and the detonation of military equipment and underground concrete structures.
As for the villages of Mount Hermon, Israel has dealt with them from the outset with even harsher measures. These villages have long-standing smuggling routes with Lebanon via Mount Hermon. Although these smuggling routes have been almost completely severed since the fall of the regime due to the occupation's control of the Syrian observation post on the summit of Mount Hermon, the incursions and violations have continued, particularly in Beit Jinn, which is the center of a sub-district belonging to the Qatana region.
Qatana is the center of the Qatana district, which comprises four sub-districts: Qatana Center Sub-district, Beit Jann Sub-district, Sa'sa' Sub-district, and Jadida Artouz Sub-district. Its area is approximately 1,000 square kilometers.
The Qatana Center Sub-district includes the following villages and towns: Qatana, Ambia, Al-Amrat, Arna, Al-Baja', Baqa'sim, Darousha, Qala'at al-Jandal, Rakhla, Ras al-Ain, Rima, Al-Saboura, and Ya'four.
According to the 2004 census, the population of Beit Jann Sub-district was over 15,000, while current figures indicate approximately 35,000, with a third of them living between the towns of Beit Jann and Mazra'at Beit Jann.
Sources from Syria TV confirm that the Israeli occupation is attempting to impose constant restrictions on the residents with the aim of displacing them, as Beit Jann represents an obstacle to its control over the Beit Jann perimeter, a strategic town nestled among the villages of Mount Hermon.
Sources inside the town added that the occupation has not succeeded in winning over any of the residents, especially in its recruitment attempts, which it has always pursued in the occupied Palestinian territories and the Golan Heights as well.