Israeli Airstrikes Target Syria Amid Escalating Druse Clashes Near Damascus.
Israel launched airstrikes on Syria on Wednesday in response to escalating sectarian violence involving the Druse minority, as fierce clashes near the capital, Damascus, claimed dozens of lives. The Israeli military intervened to protect Druse civilians, threatening further strikes against Syrian government forces if the unrest persists.
The airstrikes targeted a group of “operatives” accused of attacking Druse civilians in the violence-ridden outskirts of Damascus, according to the Israeli military. While the operatives were not identified, forces aligned with Syria’s Islamist government have been engaged in intense fighting with Druse militiamen for two days. Earlier, Israel reported targeting an unidentified “extremist group” south of Damascus. Amr al-Sheikh, the Syrian governor of the area, confirmed that the airstrikes killed one member of the Syrian government’s security forces and one civilian.
The violence, centred around the predominantly Druse town of Ashrafieh Sahnaya, south of Damascus, has resulted in significant casualties. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war-monitoring group, reported that at least 39 people, including 22 on Wednesday, have been killed over two days of clashes. The unrest follows a broader wave of sectarian tensions in Druse-dominated areas, exacerbating fears among Syria’s minority communities under the country’s new Islamist leadership, which overthrew Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December.
Israel, home to a substantial Druse community who often serve in its military and identify as loyal citizens, has framed its intervention as a defence of the Druse minority in Syria. The Israeli military’s actions come amid heightened regional tensions, with Israel conducting hundreds of airstrikes in Syria since Assad’s fall to prevent weapons from reaching hostile groups.
The Syrian government has condemned the airstrikes, rejecting foreign intervention in its affairs. Local efforts to broker a ceasefire between Druse militias and government forces are underway, but the situation remains volatile. The international community is closely monitoring developments, with concerns growing over the potential for further escalation in Syria’s fragile post-Assad landscape.
