The Israeli military announced on Sunday that they had conducted a ground raid into Syria, capturing a Syrian citizen involved in Iranian networks. This marks the first time in the current conflict that Israel has publicly disclosed its troops operating in Syrian territory. Israel has previously carried out airstrikes in Syria, targeting members of Hezbollah and Iranian officials, but had not previously acknowledged any ground operations in the country.
The seized individual was part of a special operation that took place in recent months, although the exact date was not specified by the Israeli military. While Syria did not immediately confirm the raid, a pro-government Syrian radio station reported that Israeli forces conducted a “kidnapping operation” targeting a man in the southern part of the country over the summer.
The disclosure of this raid comes amidst an escalated campaign of bombardment in Lebanon by Israel over the past six weeks. Additionally, Israel has launched a ground invasion along the border with Lebanon, with the aim of weakening Hezbollah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the border with Lebanon, emphasizing the need to prevent Hezbollah from rearming through Iranian weapons transferred to Lebanon via Syria.
In addition to the conflict in Lebanon, Israeli forces continued their offensive in the northern Gaza Strip, targeting Hamas fighters who had regrouped in the area. The ongoing violence has resulted in casualties, including children, in hospitals and other civilian areas. The Israeli military has denied responsibility for some of the strikes, while Palestinian officials have condemned the attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Amidst the conflict, a polio vaccination campaign is also underway in Gaza to prevent the spread of the disease. The campaign faced challenges due to access constraints and ongoing hostilities, making it difficult to reach all children in need of vaccination. The presence of a paralysis case in Gaza highlighted the importance of vaccination efforts to protect the population from infectious diseases during the conflict.
The war, which began in 2023, has taken a heavy toll on both Israeli and Palestinian populations, with significant civilian casualties reported on both sides. The ongoing violence underscores the urgent need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict to prevent further loss of life and suffering among the affected communities.
