DAMASCUS, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire killed at least 13 people and wounded more than two dozen others in the village of Beit Jinn, in the southwestern countryside of Damascus, early Friday, Syrian authorities, rescue teams, and eyewitnesses said.

The assault followed an Israeli ground incursion that prompted clashes with local residents.

Syrian health authorities reported that the bodies of 13 "martyrs" and more than 24 injured had been transported to hospitals so far, adding that the toll remained preliminary as search operations continued.

The Israeli military confirmed its troops conducted an overnight operation in the area, stating it targeted suspected members of the Sunni Islamist group Jaama Islamiya, which Israel accuses of plotting attacks. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said "several armed terrorists opened fire at the troops," necessitating "aerial assistance" for extraction and resulting in several reservists being injured.

Multiple accounts from inside Beit Jinn reported that an Israeli military detachment entered the village around 3:00 a.m. (0000 GMT), leading local residents to confront the unit.

Muhammad Abu Khaled, a man in his 70s from Beit Jinn, told Xinhua that people "resisted with personal weapons." He said, "After that, Israel brought fighter jets, helicopters, and missiles. The bombing started while people were asleep."

Syrian Civil Defense official Wissam Zeidan told state media that Israeli drones "targeted any movement at the entrances of Beit Jinn," preventing rescue teams from immediately reaching the wounded. Zeidan said technical teams were conducting "careful search operations" despite the risks, and some victims could not be recovered due to the continuous threat of strikes.

From al-Mouwasat Hospital in Damascus, survivor Ali Iyad al-Safadi said the Israeli operation began after forces allegedly tried to abduct a young civilian. "Local residents resisted, and then the airstrikes, artillery, and drones started," he said, adding the clashes lasted until about 6 a.m. (0300 GMT).

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, claimed the Israeli incursion was an attempt to arrest two local brothers accused by Israel of ties to armed groups. It added that six Israeli soldiers were injured, citing Israeli military admissions.

It also noted that seven civilians were among the people killed by Israeli forces, including women and children.

Israeli media reports indicated that between six and 13 soldiers were injured, including officers, with some in serious condition.

Syria's foreign affairs chief, Asaad al-Shibani, condemned the event as a "treacherous Israeli assault deliberately targeting innocent civilians," urging the United Nations and other international bodies to "shoulder their responsibilities."

The Observatory characterized the confrontation as the largest military clash in the area since the fall of the former Syrian government in late 2024. The strikes reportedly destroyed homes and caused "unprecedented displacement" of dozens of families toward nearby villages.

The raid marks one of the most lethal Israeli operations inside Syria since the change of government in December 2024, during which Israel has increased strikes across southern and southwestern Syria.