An Israeli drone strike targeted a member of the Hamas terror group in the southern Syrian village of Beit Jinn on Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces said.

Beit Jinn is some seven kilometers from the Israel-Syrian border, just outside a buffer zone currently controlled by the IDF.

No further details were given by the IDF on the target of the strike.

Hamas had a significant foothold in Syria until civil war broke out in the country in 2011, but has since reduced its presence. Its status in the country has become uncertain following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December, as the regime of Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, seeks to consolidate power, take arms out of the hands of non-governmental groups, and avoid confrontation with Israel.

After the Assad regime fell, Israel launched an aerial campaign against Syrian military targets to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of extremist groups, and seized parts of Mount Hermon in Syrian territory that was a buffer zone between the countries following the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

Israeli military operations in Syria have since escalated, with Jerusalem saying it will not tolerate an armed Islamist presence in southern Syria.

Last week, airstrikes were carried out near the coastal city of Latakia and the IDF said its fighter jets targeted weapon depots used to store anti-ship missiles. One civilian was killed, according to Syrian state media.

The latest strikes have come even as Israel and Syria are reportedly in direct contact and have in recent weeks held face-to-face meetings aimed at calming tensions and preventing conflict in the border region between the two longtime foes.

The contacts mark a significant development in ties between states that have been in conflict in the Middle East for decades, as the US encourages the new Islamist rulers in Damascus to establish relations with Israel.

Last month, Sharaa confirmed indirect talks with Israel that he said were aimed at calming tensions.

Israel has also cautioned against swift recognition of the new government in Syria, expressing deep skepticism about Sharaa, who until recently had a $10 million bounty on his head from the US.

But the strikes and the criticism have substantially subsided in recent weeks.