Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's general intelligence orchestrated the attacks on the IDF on Thursday night and earlier attacks against the Druze communities, KAN reported on Friday, citing informed sources.
Those who attacked the IDF overnight were reportedly tied to the Syrian regime’s general intelligence and were the same group who organized attacks against Druze in Khader in eastern Syria.
Members of the IDF’s 55th Reserve Brigade entered the Syrian town of Beit Jinn in the early hours of Friday morning to arrest two brothers who work for the terrorist organization Al-Jama'a Al-Islamiya. The two had previously planted explosives and were involved in launching a high-altitude missile at Israel, according to KAN.
While both were arrested by the IDF while they were in their beds without incident, terrorists opened fire on the soldiers as they left the home. The resulting firefight led to six IDF reservists being wounded by enemy bullets and the deaths of a number of terrorists.
The brigade’s commander attempted to enter the area to rescue the soldiers trapped by fire, but was himself wounded, N12 first reported. With air cover, all the soldiers were able to return to Israeli territory, where they received treatment for their injuries.
Syrian media reported this morning that 13 people were killed in the incident. Both brothers are now in Israel for questioning.
The operation also saw a military hummer abandoned in the village, though the air support later destroyed it, N12 reported.
Later on Friday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir went to visit the soldiers wounded in the incident.
The escalation came amid reports that Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are building structures in Syria.
Minorities attacked in Syria's south by regime-backed militias
The clash, the deadliest involving the IDF in Syria yet, comes after months of escalation. Islamists along Israel’s northern border have launched genocidal attacks on the Syrian Druze community, along with other minority groups in the war-afflicted country.
Despite backing from the United States and early promises by the new Syrian regime to move toward a normalized relationship with the Jewish state, Israeli officials have asserted that the current regime continues to pose a threat and that a buffer zone is necessary to protect both Israel and minorities in Syria’s south.
Damascus has repeatedly condemned Israel’s buffer zone, claiming it violates Syrian territory - though Syrian Druze who have spoken to The Jerusalem Post asserted the zone was essential for communities to receive humanitarian aid after Damascus-imposed embargoes and continued attacks.