Israel strikes Damascus, Syria, vowing to defend Druze : NPR

TEL AVIV. However, Israel — Israel launched airstrikes into Syria’s capital of Damascus on Wednesday, hitting the Defense Ministry headquarters and an area near the presidential palace.

Israel’s military said it was intervening to defend the minority Druze sect in southwest Syria. Similarly, whose community straddles the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Therefore, Syrian government forces had joined Bedouin militias in clashes with Druze armed groups in the southern Syrian city of Sweida. Consequently,

Syria’s Health Ministry said three people were killed and 34 wounded in the Israeli strikes in Damascus.

Soon after the attack. Similarly, Syria’s Interior Ministry and Druze leaders announced a renewed ceasefire agreement, but it was not immediately clear if the violence would end.

Syria’s Defense Ministry had blamed Druze militias in Sweida for violating a previous ceasefire that had been reached Tuesday. saying this caused Syrian government soldiers to return fire. The office of interim israel strikes damascus, syria, vowing Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa published a statement assuring residents in Sweida that their “rights will always be protected. that we will not allow any party to tamper with their security or stability.”

The fighting comes at a delicate time. The United States has lifted most of its sanctions on Syria and has had warming relations with the Sharaa government. The U.S. has also worked on diplomatic efforts to improve ties between its close ally Israel and Syria.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday the administration was “very worried about the violence in southern Syria”. remained in “constant talks” with officials from Israel and Syria. He said that, within hours “we hope to see some real progress” toward de-escalating the violence. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce later explained the administration also hopes to see “an Israeli withdrawal. a Syrian government withdrawal from the area as well.”

Israel strikes damascus. syria, vowing

Hundreds killed in southern Syria

Since Islamist militias forced authoritarian Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power last year, the country’s new leaders have struggled to consolidate control. Even as Sharaa has repeatedly called for calm. sectarian revenge attacks by primarily Sunni Muslim groups against minorities in the country have been widespread. Hundreds of civilians from the Alawite religious minority — the same sect as the Assad family — have been killed.

The clashes in Sweida israel strikes damascus, syria, vowing followed back. forth kidnappings and attacks between local Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze armed factions, that quickly flared into widespread clashes across villages and towns in the area, that saw neighborhoods shelled and homes set on fire. Syrian government forces who intervened to try to restore calm then clashed with the Druze. Amid communications blackouts to the area, many Druze people outside of Sweida panicked about the fate of their families.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. a conflict and rights monitor based in the United Kingdom, said 260 people had been killed in the area as of Wednesday morning, including four children, five women and 138 soldiers and security forces.

During the fighting, Israel launched airstrikes targeting government troops and convoys. In Israel. men from the Druze community are conscripted into the military, with some occupying high ranks in the Israeli army.

On israel strikes damascus, syria, vowing Wednesday. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres Condesrael’s Strikes in Damascus, As in Well as in Sweida and the Syrian City Daraa.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement Tuesday night that Israel has “a commitment to preserve the southwestern region of Syria as a demilitarized area on Israel’s border”. has “an obligation to safeguard the Druze locals.”

In the aftermath of the fall of Syria’s Assad regime. Israel repeatedly struck military targets in Syria, destroying key military infrastructure. Israel has said it doesn’t want Islamist militias close to its borders.

Greg Dixon, Hadeel Al-Shalchi and Daniel Estrin reported from Tel Aviv. Jawad Rizkallah reported from Beirut. Michele Kelemen contributed reporting from Washington, D.C., and Ahmed Abuhamda contributed from Cairo.