Israel claims it has detained ‘Hamas members’ in southern Syria operation

Israeli forces conducted an operation in southern Syria to detain several members of Hamas, the military said Thursday, 12 June.

Syria TV, a local station, reported that a force of about 100 Israeli troops stormed the southern Syrian village of Beit Jin near the border with Lebanon, called the names of several people through loudspeakers and detained them. Syria TV said one person was shot dead by the Israeli forces.

The Israeli military said that the detained people were Hamas members who were planning attacks against Israel and that they were taken to Israel for questioning, adding that its forces also found weapons in the area. The detained people were not identified.

Since the fall of President Bashar Assad's government in early December 2024, Israeli forces have moved into several areas in southern Syria and conducted hundreds of airstrikes throughout the country, destroying much of the assets of the Syrian army.

There was no immediate comment from Hamas or Syrian authorities.

During a visit to France in May, Syrian president Ahmad al-Sharaa said that his country is holding indirect talks with Israel to prevent hostilities from getting out of control.