Damascus has called on the United Nations Security Council to take immediate action to halt repeated Israeli violations of Syrian territory. The appeal comes after a reported Israeli strike in the Beit Jinn area of rural Damascus. Sources within Syria have suggested that Israeli entities are fabricating the existence of groups supposedly threatening Israeli security as a pretext for incursions into Syrian land.
On Friday, Beit Jinn witnessed Israeli shelling that allegedly resulted in the deaths of 13 individuals. This followed what was described as an incursion by Israeli forces into the town, reportedly to apprehend wanted individuals. Local residents are said to have confronted the forces before they withdrew, leaving behind a damaged military vehicle.
The Israeli military stated that the operation was part of “Operation Arrow Bashan,” launched following the ousting of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last December. The operation purportedly targets military sites throughout the country and aims to control strategic locations, including Mount Hermon, as well as establish control over a buffer zone.
Najat Rochdi, the Deputy Special Envoy of the United Nations to Syria, condemned the Israeli incursion in the vicinity of rural Damascus, calling it a “grave and unacceptable violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” She urged an immediate halt to such operations and full adherence to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
A cautious calm has reportedly settled over Beit Jinn following the Israeli shelling and subsequent clashes. The Israeli military, on the other hand, announced that six of its soldiers were injured, including two officers and one soldier in critical condition. An investigation has been launched into the alleged leak of information related to the operation.
A Syrian source claimed that Israeli entities are deliberately obstructing any efforts to de-escalate the situation in the region. The source further alleged that the fabrication of armed groups is a “failed attempt to justify intervention within Syria,” and that Tel Aviv is seeking to escalate the situation to prevent any stability on the border.
Syria’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Ibrahim Al-Alabi, previously stated that his country is pursuing diplomatic efforts to exert pressure on Israel and isolate it as much as possible. He added that “extremists within the Netanyahu government want to create pretexts to prevent reaching a de-escalation or any agreement.”
