Israel Strikes Syria Again, Claims Hamas Member Killed Amid Ongoing Tensions

The Israeli military has launched another air strike on southern Syria, claiming it killed a Hamas member in the town of Mazraat Beit Jin, near the UN-patrolled buffer zone. The strike marks the latest in a series of Israeli attacks on Syria following the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last December.

In a statement on Telegram early Sunday, the Israeli army confirmed the operation. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the strike targeted a vehicle, killing one person and injuring two others. Hamas has yet to comment on the alleged killing.

The Observatory stated that Israel has conducted 61 attacks inside Syria so far this year — 51 by air and 10 by ground.

Tensions between the two countries spiked again earlier this week after two rockets were launched from Syrian territory into Israel — the first such incident since Syria’s transition to a new government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Two groups have since claimed responsibility for the rocket attack: the Martyr Mohammed Deif Brigades, named after the Hamas military commander killed last year, and the Islamic Resistance Front in Syria, which has previously called for action against Israel from southern Syria.

In response, Israel launched additional strikes and held Syria “directly responsible,” according to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.

Syria’s Foreign Minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, condemned the Israeli air strikes, calling them “coordinated provocations aimed at undermining Syria’s progress and stability.” He warned that such attacks could create space for outlawed groups to exploit instability and reaffirmed that the Syrian government seeks reconstruction, not war.

The two countries had recently engaged in indirect talks to reduce hostilities — a rare development given decades of animosity and territorial disputes, especially over the Golan Heights, which Israel has occupied since the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.

Since Assad’s ousting, Israel has expanded its military operations in Syria, citing concerns over the nature of the new government, which it labels as “jihadist.” Meanwhile, Syria’s leadership has made strides toward international legitimacy, following the recent lifting of sanctions by both the United States and the European Union — a major boost for a country devastated by nearly 14 years of civil war.