Hold Military Operations, Israel Arrests Hamas Members In Syria

JAKARTA - Israeli forces entered Syria's southwestern region in the early hours of Thursday and arrested several people who the Israeli military said were members of the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

The arrest in the town of Beit Jinn, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) southwest of the capital Damascus, is part of a resurgence of Israeli military operations in the southern region of Syria after weeks of relative calm.

The Israeli military said operations in Beit Jinn were carried out based on intelligence information gathered in recent weeks.

As reported by Reuters on Thursday, June 12, Israel arrested a number of people called Hamas terrorists" who planned various terror plans against Israeli civilians and Israeli forces in Syria.

In addition, the military confiscated firearms and ammunition, and transferred prisoners to Israel for further questioning.

There was no immediate comment from Hamas. A spokesman for Syria's interior ministry told Reuters seven people were arrested during an operation in Beit Jinn but denied they were from Hamas.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry said those arrested were civilians from the area. It was also reported that one person was killed by Israeli gunfire.

Israel has been very suspicious of the new government since the former leader Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December, claiming the government could support attacks similar to Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, to southern Israel.

In the early months of Syria's new government, Israel sent troops to southern Syria and carried out widespread attacks - but then started direct talks with Syrian officials to prevent conflict in border areas.

Tensions escalated again in early June, after projectiles were fired from Syria at Israel.

Israel retaliated with its first attack in nearly a month.

Meanwhile, on June 8, Israel carried out an attack on the outskirts of Beit Jinn against what he described as a member of Hamas.