In a dramatic escalation of regional tensions, Israel launched targeted airstrikes near key Syrian government sites, including areas close to the Presidential Palace, Syrian military headquarters, and the Defense Ministry in Damascus. The move marks one of the most high-profile Israeli military actions inside Syria in recent years.
According to a statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the strike was conducted in response to the Syrian regime's alleged crackdown on Druze civilians in southern Syria’s Sweida province, where violence has flared up after the collapse of a fragile local ceasefire.
“A short while ago, the IDF struck the entrance gate of the Syrian regime's military headquarters compound in the Damascus area of Syria,” the IDF's War Room announced on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Strategic Targets Hit in Damascus
The Syrian state television, quoting AFP, confirmed that Israeli missiles struck the entrance of the Syrian regime's military headquarters, located near the Defense Ministry. One person has been reported killed in the strikes, though official casualty details remain limited.
The Israeli military said its operations targeted military infrastructure believed to be involved in suppressing civilian protests and facilitating cross-border threats.
The attacks form part of what the IDF described as a broader campaign to disrupt regime military convoys and deter further aggression near Israel’s northern border.
Tel Aviv Cites Protection of Druze Community
Tel Aviv officials stated the airstrike was primarily aimed at “protecting the Druze population”, a minority ethnic-religious group, amid increasing hostilities in Sweida province, which has seen anti-regime protests and clashes with Syrian government forces in recent weeks.
“This is a message that Israel will not tolerate harm to minority communities in the region, especially those under threat from authoritarian regimes,” said a senior Israeli official.
Regional Fallout
The escalation raises concerns of broader conflict in an already volatile region. Syria has yet to issue an official response, though tensions between the two nations have remained high due to Israel's continued operations aimed at curbing Iranian influence and allied militias within Syrian territory.
Security analysts suggest that this latest round of strikes could provoke retaliation or further regional destabilization, especially with ongoing conflicts involving Hezbollah and Iranian-backed groups near Israel’s borders.
The international community has urged restraint, calling on both sides to de-escalate and avoid civilian harm.