Senior security officials say several terror organizations have begun entrenching themselves in southern Syria, using the area as a staging ground for attacks against Israel.
These groups include Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) , elements tied to Yemen’s Ansar Allah (the Houthis), ISIS, and operatives from al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya.
In addition, several Sunni Bedouin tribes with jihadist leanings—some involved in drug and weapons smuggling—operate in the region. Some of these tribes also took part in the recent clashes in Sweida last July.
According to officials, this growing terror infrastructure was the reason behind the IDF raid over the weekend in the village of Beit Jann, south of Damascus. During the operation, Israeli forces arrested three al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya operatives who, based on intelligence, were planning attacks against Israel, including rocket fire toward the Golan Heights. IDF troops encountered live fire during the arrests, and six soldiers were wounded.