In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, Israel conducted airstrikes on Damascus, as violence erupts in the southern Sweida province, causing significant casualties and raising concerns about the ongoing conflict's wider implications.
Israel Launches Airstrikes on Syrian Capital Amid Rising Tensions
Israel Launches Airstrikes on Syrian Capital Amid Rising Tensions
Israel warns Syria over military actions against Druse minority while targeting key government locations in Damascus.
Israel launched airstrikes in Syria’s capital, Damascus, on Wednesday, focusing on the Defense Ministry and proximity to the presidential palace, as reported by Syrian officials and war monitoring groups. This military action follows Israel's warning to Syrian leaders regarding their military engagements against the Druse minority in Sweida, a region experiencing severe unrest.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz asserted the country’s commitment to safeguarding the Druse community and threatened to increase military action if Syrian forces continued their operations in the area. Recent clashes in Sweida have resulted in over 200 fatalities within just four days, marking one of the most violent escalations in years, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring organization.
The airstrikes inflicted considerable damage on key government sites in Damascus, causing injuries to at least nine individuals, as confirmed by Syria’s health ministry. Despite a cease-fire being declared in Sweida, fighting reignited on Wednesday between government troops and Druse fighters, underscoring the fragility of the current situation.
Journalists and observers are closely monitoring developments in both Damascus and Sweida, as the humanitarian crisis deepens and regional tensions rise.
Euan Ward is a Times reporter specializing in Lebanon and Syria, based in Beirut.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz asserted the country’s commitment to safeguarding the Druse community and threatened to increase military action if Syrian forces continued their operations in the area. Recent clashes in Sweida have resulted in over 200 fatalities within just four days, marking one of the most violent escalations in years, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring organization.
The airstrikes inflicted considerable damage on key government sites in Damascus, causing injuries to at least nine individuals, as confirmed by Syria’s health ministry. Despite a cease-fire being declared in Sweida, fighting reignited on Wednesday between government troops and Druse fighters, underscoring the fragility of the current situation.
Journalists and observers are closely monitoring developments in both Damascus and Sweida, as the humanitarian crisis deepens and regional tensions rise.
Euan Ward is a Times reporter specializing in Lebanon and Syria, based in Beirut.
