Israel targets Syrian military HQ in Damascus amid escalating Druze violence
Drone strikes hit Defense Ministry building as Tel Aviv warns Syria to pull out from south or face more attacks
DAMASCUS, Syria (MNTV) — Israel carried out a drone strike targeting the headquarters of the Syrian military in Damascus, following days of intense clashes between current government’s forces and Druze militias in the southern city of Suwayda.
The Israeli Defense Ministry confirmed that its military struck the entrance of Syria’s Defense Ministry complex in Ummayad Square, after warning Damascus to withdraw troops from Suwayda or face consequences.
Al Jazeera reported that two drone strikes hit the military site—one at the front gate and another near the rear of the facility.
Continuous drone surveillance and bursts of gunfire from Syrian defensive positions were also observed in the area.
“This marks a serious escalation. Israeli strikes have now reached the heart of the capital,” said Al Jazeera’s correspondent Osama Bin Javaid, reporting from Damascus.
Analysts described the strike as a “performative escalation.” Rob Geist Pinfold, an international security expert at King’s College London, told Al Jazeera that Israel had deliberately targeted open areas near the Defense Ministry rather than launching a full-scale assault to avoid major casualties—for now.
He added that Israel’s initial actions in Suwayda had followed a similar trajectory: beginning with symbolic strikes, which later intensified into lethal attacks that killed dozens of Syrian soldiers.
“This may be the thin end of the wedge,” he warned, suggesting further direct attacks across Syria were possible if Damascus continues to defy Israeli warnings.
Sectarian clashes between Druze and Bedouin armed groups resumed in full force in Suwayda, just hours after a ceasefire announced by the Syrian government.
Syria’s Ministry of Defense blamed “outlaw groups” for reigniting violence, claiming government troops were returning fire while adhering to rules of engagement aimed at protecting civilians.
The ministry said safe corridors had been opened for residents fleeing the violence.
Casualty figures varied, with Syria’s defense ministry estimating 70 dead and over 200 injured.
However, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a much higher death toll—over 250, including at least 138 soldiers, five women, four children, and 21 individuals executed in the field.
In addition to the Damascus strike, Israeli warplanes launched at least seven more air raids around Suwayda. The attacks followed a threat by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, who warned that Tel Aviv would not allow Syrian government forces to maintain a presence in the Druze-majority region.
“Israel will not abandon the Druze in Syria and will enforce the demilitarization policy we have decided on,” Katz declared.
Syria has strongly condemned the Israeli strikes as violations of international law. Several Arab nations have echoed the criticism, accusing Israel of exploiting the internal conflict to further its regional agenda.
Violence in Suwayda was sparked by a series of abductions and reprisals between local Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze armed factions, following the kidnapping of a Druze merchant on the Damascus–Suwayda highway last Friday.
Footage of killings and abuse circulated online quickly fueled tensions, leading to the collapse of the ceasefire and triggering a full-scale conflict in the region.
Syria’s Druze community, estimated at around 700,000 people, has historically maintained a degree of autonomy.
During the civil war and after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Druze militias operated independently and often clashed with both opposition forces and the new Syrian government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Israel’s growing involvement in Suwayda crisis
Geist Pinfold noted that Israel has been backing key Druze figures, including influential religious leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, who has played a central role in the current unrest.
Al-Hijri’s forces reportedly seized government buildings in Suwayda earlier this week, prompting retaliatory action from Syrian security services.
Israel responded with airstrikes, reportedly inflicting heavy losses on government forces in the area.
Israel has dismissed the legitimacy of Syria’s new government, referring to it as “extremist,” and continues to carry out regular strikes in the country, citing concerns over weapons shipments and Iranian influence.
Geist Pinfold argued that Israel had chosen to escalate militarily rather than seek diplomatic engagement with the new Syrian administration. “This is a continuation of its pursuit of military dominance and occupation of Syrian territory,” he said.
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