Israeli army admits losing encrypted military device during southern Syria raid

The Israeli army acknowledged on Tuesday that it had lost a military communication device during its Sunday raid in Syria's southern province of Daraa.

The acknowledgement came after videos on social media showed Syrian residents finding the encrypted military device.

No official statement had been issued by the Syrian authorities as of yet.

"The missing military device in Abdeen is a classified ULR (Ultra-Line Recorder), but it is not the type of military phone used by commanders to manage combat operations," Israeli Army Radio said.

The device "is password-protected, and according to a well-informed security source, it is currently in the possession of Syrian civilians," it added.

The outlet said the army had tried to return to the village to retrieve the device, but the outbreak of protests there prevented this.

On Sunday, the Israeli army raided Abdeen before shelling its outskirts after residents confronted them with stones, forcing them to withdraw amid widespread condemnation.

The device "was lost during an operational activity that coincided with clashes and confrontations between Israeli forces and residents of the area," Israel's public broadcaster KAN said.

For months, Syria has witnessed an escalation in Israeli attacks, including raids, searches, arrests, and the establishment of military checkpoints following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024.