The Israeli military conducted an airstrike in southern Syria on June 8, 2025, claiming it targeted and killed a member of Hamas in the Mazraat Beit Jin area. Hamas has not issued a statement regarding the reported death.
The strike follows from a broader pattern of Israeli military operations in Syria after the ousting of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 by a coalition of forces headed by al-Sharaa, Syria’s current president.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that one person was killed, and two others injured in the strike. The Observatory also noted that the aerial bombardment triggered "violent explosions" across southern Syria, including the towns of Quneitra and Deraa. To date, the organization reports that Israel has conducted 61 strikes of which 51 by air and 10 by ground within Syrian territory in 2025.
The escalation comes amid growing Israeli security concerns over the new Syrian leader, referring to his previous tenure as the frontman for the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda.
Following Assad’s removal, Israel declared a previously agreed demilitarised buffer zone between the two countries null and void and began advancing its forces into border regions.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed alarm over recent developments, stating he was “deeply concerned by the recent and extensive violations of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
The most recent Israeli military action was reportedly a response to cross-border attacks from Syria carried out by two lesser-known militant groups: the “Martyr Mohammed Deif Brigades” and the “Islamic Resistance Front in Syria.” The former is named after a Hamas military commander who was killed last year.
The Syrian Foreign Minister denied the state’s involvement in the latest attacks and condemned Israel’s retaliation as “coordinated provocations aimed at undermining Syria’s progress and stability”. He further added that “Syria has made its intentions clear: we are not seeking war, but rather reconstruction”.
The World Bank projects reconstruction costs to exceed above $250bn. Since Assad was overthrown, some experts say that number could be as high as $400 billion. The latest round of Trump’s talks with Syria’s al-Sharaa saw the lifting up off key economic sanctions as has the EU.
