ISTANBUL 

Qatar on Friday denounced Israel's strike on the town of Beit Jinn near Damascus, which killed and injured several civilians, calling it a flagrant violation of Syrian sovereignty and international law.

In a statement on US social media company X, the Foreign Ministry said 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.

At least 13 people were killed, including women and children, and 24 were wounded early Friday in Israel’s attack on Beit Jinn and the road leading to it, in rural areas around the capital Damascus, according to official Syrian media.

The Israeli army said in a statement that six Israeli soldiers were injured, including three in critical condition, during the attack.

It claimed that it 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 47 raids in southern Syria in November.

Government data shows that since December 2024, Israel has carried out over 1,000 airstrikes 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 demilitarized buffer zone, a move that violated a 1974 agreement with Syria.