Israeli jets launched major airstrikes on central Damascus on Wednesday, targeting Syria’s Defense Ministry and General Staff Command near the Presidential Palace in Umayyad Square. Israeli security officials said the buildings were completely destroyed. Syrian state media reported multiple deaths and dozens wounded.
According to Israeli defense sources, the strikes were aimed at deterring Syrian military action in Sweida province, where fighting between Druze and pro-government tribal groups has sharply escalated. The Druze are a minority sect with strong ties to both Israel and parts of southern Syria.
At least three people were killed and 34 injured in Damascus. In Sweida, tribal clashes left over 500 dead, according to The New York Times.
Israeli officials framed the operation as a move to prevent a Syrian military incursion into Sweida and to protect Druze civilians, aligning with what they described as a broader regional strategy. They warned that more strikes could follow if Syrian forces remain active near the Israeli border.
At least one prominent analyst said the strikes are intended to destabilize Syria’s new regime and divert attention from domestic unrest in Israel.
In response, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa ordered a withdrawal of government troops from Sweida and placed security in the hands of local Druze leadership. Damascus condemned the airstrikes as a foreign act of aggression meant to destabilize the country.
However, Sharaa — a former Islamic terrorist once held for years by U.S. forces — acknowledged that “outlaw groups,” led by individuals who “rejected dialogue for many months,” had committed “crimes against civilians” in recent days.
As The Times of London reports:
“We are keen on holding accountable those who transgressed and abused our Druze people, as they are under the protection and responsibility of the state,” he said
Addressing the minority, he added: “Protecting your rights and freedom is one of our priorities.”
Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad and the takeover of Sharaa, who was formerly aligned with al-Qaeda, Israel has announced itself as the protector of the Druze, who are mainly based in southern Syria.
Sharaa said the deployment of Syrian army forces had “succeeded in returning stability” despite the intervention of Israel, which has bombed the south of the country and Damascus.
The U.S., European Union, and Turkey have responded with calls for calm, backing a tentative ceasefire agreement reached in Sweida.
The air raids mark a sharp escalation — among Israel’s boldest strikes on Syrian government targets in years — and reflect mounting strain amid Syria’s precarious post-war recovery.
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