Israeli airstrikes blew up the Syrian defence ministry and hit areas near the presidential palace in Damascus as a warning to the country’s forces to halt clashes with the Druze minority.
At least three people were killed, and 34 others were injured in Wednesday’s attacks, which came as fighting between Syrian troops and the Druze escalated this week.
The Druze are an Arab sect of roughly one million people who primarily live in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel.
In Syria, the Druze community is concentrated around three main provinces close to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights in the south of the country.
Advertisement
Over the weekend, clashes broke out between Druze forces and Bedouin tribes, reigniting fears of attacks against minorities.
The clashes left at least 30 people dead and injured dozens more as of Tuesday. Syrian forces joined in the fighting this week.
However, Israel vowed to protect the Druze.
Advertisement
In a statement, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Jewish nation is “committed to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria due to the deep brotherly alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel and their familial and historical ties to the Druze in Syria”.
Israel said it would destroy the government forces attacking Druze in Syria and demanded they withdraw from the region and the fight.
The United States urged Syria to withdraw its troops from the southern border area to allow for de-escalation with Israel.
Advertisement
