The ongoing security talks between Israel and Syria are taking yet another blow today with the news that Israeli ground troops invaded Syrian territory near the village of Beit Jinn, overlooking the Syria-Lebanon border.
An estimated 60 IDF troops backed by military vehicles entered the area, and reportedly captured 6 Syrian civilians. The IDF has yet to make any statement on the operation, either to confirm what happened or to offer a pretext for it.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning the Israeli incursion, saying it was a direct threat to regional stability. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani went further criticizing the recent Israeli operations inside Syrian territory, calling them part of Israel’s “expansionist and partition plans.”
The current Syrian government took power in December, and concurrently Israel invaded the country, seizing the demilitarized zone between the two nations and eventually going beyond that, building outposts inside Syrian territory.
Security talks between Israel and Syria have been ongoing, with Israeli media claiming a September 25 deadline has been set for announcing a security deal. This would be alongside Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa addressing the UN General Assembly.
Syria has denied that any such deadline exists, though Syrian officials quoted in Israeli media suggested President Trump really wants to announce such an agreement as soon as possible.
Such a deal would not end the ongoing state of war between Israel and Syria, but rather would be limited in scope and aimed at reducing tensions between the two sides. Given the active invasion, however, even that may prove to the an uphill battle.
