TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Israeli military carried out an airstrike near the Syrian presidential palace in Damascus. The attack came after Israel accused Syrian authorities of failing to protect the Druze minority in the country from sectarian violence.
The Friday morning attack is the second launched by Israel this week and is seen as a strong message to the transitional government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Syria.
“This is a clear message to the Syrian regime: We will not allow [Syrian] forces to deploy south of Damascus or any threat to the Druze community,” said Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in a statement with Defense Minister Israel Katz, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Over 100 people have been killed this week in clashes between pro-government forces and Druze fighters in Syria. The violence has been condemned as a genocidal campaign by the spiritual leader of the Syrian Druze, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, who called for immediate international intervention to maintain peace and prevent further atrocities.
On Thursday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar urged the international community to protect minority groups in Syria, especially the Druze. Israel has increased its support for the Druze minority.
The Druze minority is a branch of Shia Islam that emerged in the 10th century. Most of them reside in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, and have become allies of Israel, with many Druze serving in the Israeli military.
On Thursday, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani called for national unity as a strong foundation for any stability or revival. “Any call for external intervention, under any pretext or slogan, only leads to further deterioration and division,” he wrote in X.
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