Soldiers of the IDF's 55th Brigade killed three members of the al-Jamaa al-Islamiya terror organization in Beit Jinn in southern Syria in an overnight operation, the military confirmed on Friday.
Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in Lebanon, has been involved in several attacks against Israel since the beginning of the war, working alongside Hamas in Lebanon and Syria, and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Thirteen people were reportedly killed and 24 reportedly injured during the operation, according to Syrian state media.
The IDF has conducted several similar operations in Syria over the past two months.
During the operation, IDF troops carefully apprehended the two suspects in their beds. On their way out of Beit Jinn, the convoy transporting the two was ambushed in what seems to be a pre-planned attack by the terror group.
Six IDF reservists were wounded in the ambush. Of the six, three were severely wounded, one moderately wounded, and two others were lightly wounded. All six have been evacuated to the hospital for further treatment.
Two of the severely wounded reservists arrived at Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa and were immediately taken into surgery before being moved into the intensive care unit (ICU).
The IDF responded with heavy fire, including that from pilot-manned aircraft, drones, and tanks that had been waiting to provide assistance should it be needed.
"Several armed terrorists opened fire at the troops, who responded with fire toward the terrorists, along with aerial assistance," the military said, going on to note that "all of the suspects were apprehended, and a number of terrorists were eliminated."
This followed earlier reports of an IDF patrol unit clashing with Syrian locals in Beit Jinn in the early hours of Friday morning, according to Syrian media.
The town of Beit Jinn is located about 11 kilometers east of the border with Israel, and about 40 kilometers southwest of Damascus.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the attack, calling it a "full-fledged war crime" in a Friday post to X/Twitter, demanding that the UN and the Arab League put an end to the "aggression and repeated violations."
The importance of a 'continuous military presence in the buffer zone'
“We strengthen and commend the IDF soldiers who continue to stand on the front lines and protect the residents of the Golan and the entire State of Israel with their bodies," Uri Kellner, head of the Golan Regional Council, said in a statement.
"On behalf of the residents of the Golan, I wish for the speedy recovery of the wounded, our hearts are with them and their families," he said.
"The overnight operation illustrates the importance of defense from within a buffer zone to keep the enemy away from the border, and the need for continued deployment of forces in the area," Kellner continued.
"A continuous military presence in the buffer zone and the Mount Hermon area is key to protecting the Golan's communities and maintaining stability and security along the border."
Avi Ashkenazi contributed to this story.