The Israeli military announced on Tuesday (02.07.2025) that it had captured members of an ‘Iranian-backed terrorist cell’ during a raid in southern Syria. Syrian state television reported that three individuals were detained by Israeli soldiers during the overnight operation. According to a brief statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), troops conducted a targeted mission and seized multiple weapons and explosives. The operation reportedly took place in the areas of ‘Umm al-Lux’ and ‘Ain al-Batsali’ in southern Syria, following intelligence gathered through recent interrogations.
Syrian state TV described the Israeli patrol as consisting of eight vehicles and around 40 soldiers who carried out the arrests in the village of Al-Basali, located in the Quneitra region near the Golan Heights. Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that the three detained individuals are Palestinian-origin civilians, with no reported clashes occurring during the raid.
This latest military action follows another incursion two months ago, in which an alleged Hamas-affiliated cell was captured. Since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, both the new Syrian authorities and the IDF have emphasized their commitment to preventing any security threats from taking root in southern Syria.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar reiterated on Monday (30.06.2025) that Israel has no intention of relinquishing control over the Golan Heights, which it captured in 1967 and annexed in 1981. Israeli forces have increased their presence in the UN-monitored demilitarized zone since December and continue to conduct regular raids into southern Syria.