Israeli forces killed 13 people on Friday in an operation in southern Syria, the deadliest since Bashar al-Assad's fall from power nearly a year ago, which they said was targeting an Islamist group.

Since an Islamist coalition overthrew longtime ruler Assad in December of last year, Israel has conducted hundreds of strikes as well as incursions into Syria.

The Israeli army said an exchange of fire in the operation to detain militants in the Syrian village of Beit Jin left six Israeli soldiers wounded, with three of them in a serious condition.

The Syrian foreign ministry condemned the operation as a "war crime" and accused Israel of wanting to "ignite the region".

The death toll rose to 13 later on Friday morning, according to the director of health for Damascus province Toufic Hassaba

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