Condemnation from Muslim leaders mounted following Israel’s Friday attack on the rural parts of Syria’s Damascus, which killed at least 13 people, including women and children, and wounded 24.
The strikes that targeted Beit Jinn and the road leading to it injured six Israeli soldiers, including three in critical condition, Israeli forces said in a statement.
The statement claimed that Israeli forces had detained members of “the Jaama Islamiya,” alleging that they “operated in the area of Beit Jinn in southern Syria and advanced attacks against Israeli civilians.”
The Israeli army staged 48 raids in southern Syria in November, according to an Anadolu tally.
Türkiye
Türkiye on Friday urged Israel to immediately halt its attacks on the town of Beit Jinn in rural Damascus, saying the strikes violate Syria’s sovereignty and threaten civilians and regional stability.
“As the 8 December anniversary of the Syrian people’s liberation approaches, and amid international calls for Syria’s stability, Israel has once again shown it is pursuing a destructive agenda with its attacks on the town of Beit Jinn in rural Damascus,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said on X.
He added that Israel, despite facing no threat from Syria, violates the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity with its military offensives, posing a threat to civilians and regional stability.
Keceli called for an immediate end to Israel’s attacks, which he said aim to prevent the Syrian government and people from establishing security, prosperity and social peace, and stressed that all responsible members of the international community have a duty in this regard.
Qatar
Arab countries denounced Israel's strike, with Qatar's foreign ministry saying the escalation “deepens tensions and undermines efforts to achieve security and stability in the region.”
The ministry called on the international community to take immediate action to stop the Israeli violations, protect civilians, and hold those responsible accountable under international law.
Qatar reaffirmed its “full solidarity” with Syria’s government and people, expressing support for all efforts aimed at ending the attacks and preserving Syria’s security, stability, and territorial integrity.
Jordan
Jordan also condemned the Israeli attack, describing it as a “dangerous and provocative escalation” that only fuels regional tension and conflict.
In a statement, the foreign ministry said the kingdom “strongly condemns” the incursion and strikes, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of dozens of Syrians.
The ministry said the assault constitutes a “flagrant violation” of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and a clear breach of international law.
It reiterated Jordan’s “absolute rejection” of the attack, saying it represents direct harm to the lives of Syrian citizens and a violation of the sovereignty of an Arab state.
The ministry also called for an immediate end to all Israeli actions on Syrian territory, saying such attacks violate the UN Charter and Israel’s obligations under the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
Kuwait
In a statement, the Kuwaiti foreign ministry condemned the attack, saying: “These criminal assaults are merely an extension of Israel’s destabilising approach that threatens the security and stability of the region and undermines regional and international efforts aimed at de-escalation.”
The ministry stressed that the attack “constitutes a blatant violation of the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic and a clear breach of international humanitarian law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”
The Arab League
The Arab League described Israel’s attack on the town of Beit Jinn as a “flagrant” violation of international law and of the disengagement agreement.
It called on the international community, represented by the UN Security Council, to assume its responsibilities in curbing what it termed Israel’s “aggression and impunity” towards Syria and the entire region.
GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi said Friday that Israel’s continued “criminal” violations in Syria undermine efforts aimed at achieving security and stability in the region.
Government data shows that since December 2024, Israel has carried out over 1,000 air strikes on Syria and more than 400 cross-border raids into the southern provinces.
After the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in late 2024, Israel expanded its occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights by seizing the demilitarised buffer zone, a move that violated a 1974 agreement with Syria.
