The Israeli army has detained 27 individuals from various parts of southern Syria over the past six months, according to a report by Syria TV.
While some of the detainees have since been released, the fate of others remains unknown. The report stated that Israel accused the detainees of affiliation with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia, Iranian-backed militias, and Hamas, as well as charges related to arms trafficking.
The arrests took place in multiple areas, including rural Quneitra, Beit Jinn in the Damascus countryside, and Daraa. The latest Israeli raid occurred earlier today, resulting in the detention of six individuals, including a teenager, on suspicion of collaborating with Iran’s Quds Force.
On July 2, the Israeli army announced it had carried out a “special operation” to arrest an alleged Iranian cell in southern Syria. Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the operation targeted the areas of Umm al-Luqas and Ain al-Basali, leading to the capture of several operatives.
In a separate incident on May 9, Israeli forces detained a BBC News team while they were on assignment near the town of al-Rafid in rural Quneitra.
A BBC report detailed that the soldiers confiscated the team’s equipment, searched their vehicle, and interrogated them for nearly seven hours—at times handcuffing and blindfolding some members and warning them against publishing any photos or information about military sites. The journalists were later released and dropped off in a remote area near the border without communication devices.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
