IDF Operation in Syria
Unknown Enemy: The Terror Group Most Israelis Don't Know About
The IDF suffered six wounded soldiers in a fierce encounter with the Al-Jama'ah Al-Islamiyyah terror group during an operation in Syria, forcing the military to focus on the independent Sunni-Islamist movement that cooperates closely with Hezbollah and Hamas.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have marked a little-known but powerful group, Al-Jama'ah Al-Islamiyyah (The Islamic Group), as a key target in Syria after a recent counterterrorism operation ended in a fierce firefight, wounding six Israeli soldiers, three of them seriously. While most Israelis are unfamiliar with the name, the organization is one of the region's oldest and most active terrorist groups operating against Israel.
The confrontation, which took place overnight between Thursday and Friday last week, occurred in the Syrian village of Beit Jinn, located just 11 kilometers from Israeli territory. The incident required a complex medical evacuation under fire and aerial cover, highlighting the group's capacity for organized violence.
Profile: Al-Jama'ah Al-Islamiyyah
Al-Jama'ah Al-Islamiyyah is a Lebanese Sunni-Islamist movement founded as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. Its military wing was established in the 1980s, and it has since operated in close collaboration with other regional terrorist entities.
The Operation and Fierce Firefight
The IDF force entered a house in Beit Jinn where the wanted terrorists were staying, successfully apprehending them while they were still in their beds. However, as one of the soldiers' Humvees positioned for blocking was providing security for the force, it was shot at by armed terrorists hiding on the roof of a nearby building.
In the ensuing firefight, six IDF soldiers were wounded, three of them critically. Elite Unit 669 rescue forces landed under aerial cover from Air Force combat helicopters to provide treatment and evacuate the wounded to Israeli hospitals.
The ground forces simultaneously continued their assault on the terrorists, supported by tank fire, eliminating most of the enemy combatants. Syrian media reported 14 terrorists were eliminated, with others reportedly trapped under the rubble.
Despite the intense complexity, the operation achieved its stated goals: the three wanted terrorists were successfully brought to Israel for interrogation, 14 terrorists were eliminated, and all wounded soldiers were evacuated to hospitals in time. Body camera footage captured the chaos of the encounter, with soldiers urgently yelling warnings about the enemy and directing fire.
Looking Ahead
The IDF is intensifying its presence and activities in the buffer zone in Syria, aiming to prevent groups like Al-Jama'ah Al-Islamiyyah from establishing permanent bases and striking Israel. The military maintains forward-operating positions along the border as a buffer between Israeli communities and Syria.
The military clarified its mandate: "Our goal is that we meet the terror, not the citizens." Operations will continue based on intelligence to ensure that the immediate operational threat posed by these groups is contained.